Episode 328 | Dan Marlin | Galin Education | Part 2 | The EdisonOS Podcast
Learn More About Dan
Explore Dan's expertise through the following links:
- LinkedIn: Connect with Dan's professional network and experience
- Galin Education: Discover Wisconsin's leading ACT, SAT, AP, and college admissions prep company serving students in Milwaukee, Madison, and beyond
Key Takeaways
Episode Description
Galin Education's Test Prep Director returns to walk through what the PSAT actually is, why most families simply do not know much about it rather than misunderstanding it, and what score ranges signal real National Merit potential. Dan explains why the selection index doubles the weight of reading and writing over math, why Wisconsin's lower statewide cutoff gives local students an advantage compared to states like Massachusetts and California, and why students should give themselves enough time to prepare without cramming.
Key Topics Covered
Families do not misunderstand the PSAT, they just do not know about it. Dan explains that since many schools do not require the PSAT and students have to opt in, it often is not on a family's radar at the start of the school year, so students simply skip it rather than misunderstand what it offers.
The PSAT is low stakes practice with real upside. Dan describes the PSAT as a good, official practice test early in junior year where nobody ever sees a poor score, while a strong score can qualify a student for National Merit, which can serve as a resume booster and lead to scholarship money.
A strong PSAT score comes from content, strategy, practice, and pacing together. Dan says all of these factors matter, since a student needs the content knowledge first, layers strategy on top of it, builds pattern recognition through practice, and must also be efficient with timing.
Galin recommends PSAT prep mainly for students already scoring high. Dan explains that for most students they simply recommend taking the test and getting the experience, but for students scoring toward the upper end of the ACT or SAT, they focus PSAT prep into five or six weeks at the start of the school year, generally timed around the October testing window.
The score ranges Dan looks for before recommending PSAT prep. On the ACT, Dan looks for scores in the high 20s into the 30s, with 28 or 29 as their general threshold; on the SAT, the equivalent is around the mid-1300s or higher.
The selection index does not need to be complicated for families. Dan explains that families mainly just need to know the reading and writing score counts double compared to math when the selection index is calculated, a holdover from the PSAT's earlier three-section structure, and that they can directly compare their student's selection index to their state's published cutoff for commended or semifinalist status.
Wisconsin's cutoff gives local students an edge. Dan notes that National Merit cutoffs are generally lower in Wisconsin than in states like Massachusetts, New York, California, and Florida, which tend to have higher statewide academic performance and therefore higher thresholds, some of which are creeping close to requiring a near-perfect score.
Give yourself enough time, but not too much. Dan's consistent advice throughout is that cramming for these tests in a week or two does not work well, and that students get the best results by starting early enough to build familiarity with the test without dragging out prep for too long.
Conclusion
This conversation is a practical, data-grounded continuation of Dan's earlier insights into one of the most overlooked tests in the college admissions process. Listen to the full episode for the complete methodology and actionable strategies that could transform how any student or family approaches PSAT preparation, National Merit strategy, and the timeline that actually produces results.
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