About The Test
What are the categories of the PSAT?
Reading Test
Writing and Language Test
Math Test - Calculator
Math Test - No Calculator
What is the Student Search Service?
When you take the PSAT/NMSQT or the PSAT 10 and say "yes" to our free Student Search Service®, you can help scholarship providers find you. We'll also connect you to our scholarship partners, who offer over $300 million annually in scholarships to qualified underserved students with financial need.
If you opt in to Student Search Service and you qualify, you'll be invited to apply for scholarships in the fall of your junior year.
College Board is partnered with this resource/website to make practicing for the PSAT/SAT personalized
What is it called?
The College Board and Khan Academy® have partnered to make practicing easy and personal. At Khan Academy, you can access thousands of questions approved by the College Board, take official SAT practice tests, and create personalized study plans based on your results.
When there is 5 minutes left what should a student taking the PSAT/SAT do?
(answers vary)
- go back and make sure all answers are bubbled in
- select one letter to bubble in and fill in all empty bubbles.
- If you are done review an question you are unsure of
The Math Test is divided into two portions:
Math Test–Calculator and Math Test–No Calculator.
What are two reasons for taking the PSAT?
Get feedback about critical academic skills Prepare for the SAT Get ready for college Enter scholarship competitions
What does NMSC stand for?
National Merit Scholarship Corporation - must take the qualifying PSAT in FALL of third year of high school (grade 11, junior year)
A Total of 8,700 Scholarships Offered
What are command of evidence questions asking you to do?
These questions will require you to interpret and analyze different sources to select the best statement that proves something is correct.
If you opt in to Student Search Service and you qualify, you'll be invited to apply for scholarships in the fall of your junior year.
Where can you find practice SAT questions?
On college board or Khan Academy
The Reading Test always includes this type of passage (i.e. founding document)
Answers can vary
What is the FORMAT of questions used in Reading section?
Multiple Choice
What is the highest score you can receive on the PSAT?
1520
Several PSAT questions focus on "words in context." What does this mean?
You will have to select the best meaning for the word, given its contextual clues within the passage. You have to closely read each passage!
When taking the SAT it is important to keep track of time, what is this called?
PACING yourself is important. If you find yourself taking more than a minute on a question, you can skip it, circle it in the booklet and come back to it later.
What are "grid-in" questions in the math section?
ask you to come up with the answer rather than select the answer.
Only answers indicated by filling in the circle will be scored (you won’t receive credit for anything written in the boxes located above the circles).
The Math Test will focus in depth on the three areas of math
Where you can you find & review your PSAT/SAT score?
College Board
What are THREE specific ways you can prepare for the test?
(must get all 3)
- get a good night's sleep
- take practice tests/khan academy
- have a good breakfast
What is an educated guess?
When making an educated guess on a question narrow down your answer to two options. This improves your chances of success
There is a penalty for answering questions incorrectly.
True
False
False - On the new PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10, you simply earn points for the questions you answer correctly. So go ahead and give your best answer to every question—there’s no advantage to leaving them blank.