--- title: Does the PSAT count for college admissions?—a conversation with Bright Horizons College Coach description: Does the PSAT affect college admissions? Should you prepare for it? Watch and listen to a conversation between Megan Stubbendeck of ArborBridge and Elizabeth Heaton of Bright Horizons College Coach. image: https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/students%20outside-1.png --- [![arb-logo@2x](https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/arb-logo@2x.png)](https://www.arborbridge.com/) - [Our Services](https://arborbridge.com/our-services/) - [Academic Support](http://arborbridge.com/academic-programs/) - [SAT](https://arborbridge.com/sat/) - [ACT](https://arborbridge.com/act/) - [Subject Tests](http://arborbridge.com/subject-test/) - [AP & IB](http://arborbridge.com/ap-ib/) - [ISEE & SSAT](http://arborbridge.com/isee-ssat/) - [GRE & GMAT](http://arborbridge.com/gmat-gre-programs/) - [TOEFL](https://www.arborbridge.com/toefl-prep/) - [About Us](https://arborbridge.com/about/) - [Library](https://testprep.arborbridge.com) - [Pricing](https://www.arborbridge.com/tutoring-pricing/) - [Academic Pricing](https://www.arborbridge.com/academic-pricing/) - [SAT Pricing](https://www.arborbridge.com/sat-pricing/) - [ACT Pricing](https://www.arborbridge.com/act-pricing/) - [Subject Test Pricing](https://www.arborbridge.com/subject-test-pricing/) - [AP & IB Pricing](https://www.arborbridge.com/ap-ib-pricing/) - [ISEE & SSAT Pricing](https://www.arborbridge.com/isee-ssat-pricing/) - [GRE & GMAT Pricing](https://www.arborbridge.com/gre-gmat-pricing/) - [TOEFL Pricing](https://www.arborbridge.com/toefl-pricing/) - [Contact Us](https://arborbridge.com/contact-us/) # Does the PSAT count for college admissions?—a conversation with Bright Horizons College Coach ![Erin Ohsie-Frauenhofer](https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/Erin%20OF.jpeg) by [Erin Ohsie-Frauenhofer](https://blog.arborbridge.com/author/erin-ohsie-frauenhofer) August 20, 2021 ![](https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/students%20outside-1.png) Megan Stubbendeck, CEO of ArborBridge, recently joined Elizabeth Heaton of Bright Horizons College Coach for a segment of ["Getting In: A College Coach Conversation.”](https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/132869/community-service-mental-health-and-financial-aid-the-psat) Beth and Megan discussed the PSAT, including whether the PSAT affects college admissions and whether you should prep for it in advance. Watch Beth and Megan's full conversation below or read on for a sample of their discussion.   **BETH HEATON** We're going to be talking about the PSAT, and that is typically available to students in their junior year, usually in October. We get a lot of questions about the PSAT, so we're going to talk about it today, and I am thrilled because we have one of my favorite people in the standardized testing world, Megan Stubbendeck, here. She is CEO of ArborBridge, and she's going to join us to talk about the PSAT. Hi, Megan. **MEGAN STUBBENDECK** Thanks, Beth. Really happy to be here. **BETH** Awesome. Well, why don't we start with some basics? What exactly is the PSAT, and, probably most importantly, does it count for college admissions? **MEGAN** All right. I'm going to get to the punchline there. It does not count in college admissions, so many of you who are worried about it can take a sigh of relief. It is not something that you send with your application to college that colleges are really going to be looking at and judging you on. So, the reason that we take the PSAT is that it's practice. That's what the "P" stands for, actually. It is a practice SAT that's just a shorter version of the SAT, has the same concepts—there's a few high-level things that don't show up on the PSAT that you'll later see on the SAT—but it's a really great way to just get a feel for the SAT you'll take eventually or maybe you won't take. And that's actually why people take it: to just get a diagnostic score to start out and say, "Is testing the right path for me?" [Watch Megan and Beth’s full conversation here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg6ZzwHSOrc) to learn more about  - how the PSAT is scored - whether you should bother prepping for the PSAT - how the PSAT relates to National Merit scholarships - whether the PSAT is likely to be administered this year #### **Need more individualized advice?** The recommendations above are general suggestions. If you have specific questions, [**reach out to our experts here**](https://testprep.arborbridge.com/general-inquiry). We’re happy to help in any way we can. #### ***About ArborBridge*** *ArborBridge is the global leader in innovative, digital, one-on-one tutoring. With nearly a decade of experience teaching students online, ArborBridge supports students of all kinds: home schoolers, AP students, test preppers, and more. Our tutors specialize in creating personalized plans and in providing compassionate support for students and families.* - ![](https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/2020%20Assets/images/print.svg) - [![](https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/2020%20Assets/images/facebook.svg)](https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https://blog.arborbridge.com/does-psat-count-for-college-admissions-bright-horizons-college-coach%2F&linkname=) - [![](https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/2020%20Assets/images/twitter.svg)](https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/twitter?linkurl=https://blog.arborbridge.com/does-psat-count-for-college-admissions-bright-horizons-college-coach%2F&linkname=) - [![](https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/2020%20Assets/images/linkedin.svg)](https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/linkedin?linkurl=https://blog.arborbridge.com/does-psat-count-for-college-admissions-bright-horizons-college-coach%2F&linkname=) ![Erin Ohsie-Frauenhofer](https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/Erin%20OF.jpeg) [![](https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/2020%20Assets/images/email.svg)](mailto:erin@arborbridge.com) #### About Erin Ohsie-Frauenhofer As one of the highest-performing tutors in ArborBridge’s history, Erin coaches tutors and develops tools and trainings to disrupt old habits and empower new strengths. With a Master of Arts in Teaching from Brown University, Erin worked as a classroom teacher and student services director prior to joining ArborBridge in 2017. Her decade of success as an educator has prepared her to ensure that programs are tailored to individual students’ needs. ## You also might like: [Test prep glossary: 25 terms you should know for college admissions](https://blog.arborbridge.com/test-prep-glossary-25-terms-you-should-know-college-admissions) [College Rejection Doesn't Have to Mean Frustration](https://blog.arborbridge.com/college-rejection) [Use Winter Break to Beat College Testing](https://blog.arborbridge.com/use-winter-break-beat-college-testing) [![footer-logo@2x](https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/2020%20Assets/images/footer-logo@2x.png)](https://www.arborbridge.com/) 100 Main Street Suite #102 Port Washington, NY 11050 (917) 525-2548 info@arborbridge.com - [Our Tutoring Services](https://www.arborbridge.com/our-services/) - [Academic Support](https://www.arborbridge.com/academic-programs/) - [SAT](https://www.arborbridge.com/sat-programs/) - [ACT](https://www.arborbridge.com/act-programs/) - [AP & IB](https://www.arborbridge.com/ap-ib-programs/) - [ISEE & SSAT](https://www.arborbridge.com/isee-ssat-programs/) - [GRE & GMAT](https://www.arborbridge.com/gmat-gre-programs/) - [TOEFL](https://www.arborbridge.com/toefl-prep/) - [About ArborBridge](https://arborbridge.com/about/) - [Library](https://testprep.arborbridge.com/) - [Pricing](https://www.arborbridge.com/tutoring-pricing/) - [Contact Us](https://arborbridge.com/contact-us/) © 2026 ArborBridge, All rights reserved. - [Terms of Use](https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/termsfeed-cookies-policy-pdf-english.pdf) - [Privacy Policy](https://blog.arborbridge.com/hubfs/privacy_policy.pdf)