Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test
The PSAT or ‘ Preliminary SAT / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQ) is a standardized test designed as a tool to prepare for the SAT Reasoning Test. The PSAT / MMSQ will also allow students to enter the National Merit Scholarship Corporation scholarship programs. It is co-sponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. If you are thinking about taking the PSAT it is a good idea to know exactly what the test will evaluate as well as gain some insight into how to study for the PSAT. The PSAT measures:
* critical reading skills
* math problem-solving skills
* writing skills
Note that there are no questions specific to any classes. The test measures the basic skills you have developed in and out of school over many years.
Who Should Take the PSAT / SAT?
There are several reasons for wanting to take the PSAT but in general the PSAT enables students to:
* Get valuable feedback on strengths and weaknesses in the skills required for college study. Once you know where you are weak or lacking you will be able to focus on these areas, perhaps with the aid of a tutor.
* Rate their performance against others taking college admission tests.
* Enter the competition for scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
* Prepare for the SAT. The PSAT helps students to become familiar with the types of questions and instructions you will encounter on the SAT.
* Obtain information from colleges (if you check “yes” to Student Search Service).
When to take the PSAT?
The PSAT / NMSQT should be taken in your junior year or earlier, in fact, some students take the test during their sophomore year. If you are a sophomore when you take the test you will be given a sophomore percentile. This is to enable a comparison to be made with other sophomores who are planning on attending college.
If you do decide to do it earlier you need to be aware that the PSAT / NMSQT is a junior-level test. In other words if your score is on the low side, don’t worry. It will probably get better as time goes by. Younger students should focus on skills, not score, and in this way work on improving required skills. This helps with their high shool performance as well as laying the groundwork for the junior year, the junior-year PSAT / NMSQT, the SAT and college.
What to Expect on the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test
The PSAT / NMSQT is two hours and ten minutes long and includes five sections:
* Two 25-minute critical reading sections
* Two 25-minute math sections
* One 30-minute writing skills section
Critical Reading
Two 25 minute critical reading sections will give you a total of 48 questions. These are made up of:
* 13 Sentence completions
* 35 Critical reading questions
Math
Two 25 minute math sections will give you a total of 38 questions comprised of:
* 28 multiple-choice math questions
* 10 Student-produced responses or grid-ins
You can use a calculator to answer this section so choose one you are comfortable with. You will need to have basic skills in 4 math categories:
* Numbers and Operation
* Algebra and Functions (but not 3rd year level math that may appear on the new SAT)
* Geometry and Measurement
* Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
Writing Skills
One 30 minute writing section for a total of 39 questions
* 14 Identifying sentence errors
* 20 Improving sentences
* 5 Improving paragraph questions
These are multiple-choice questions on writing skills and evaluate the ability to express ideas well in standard-written English. This section is aimed at testing the students ability to spot flaws in usage and structure, as well as their skill in using language with a grasp of meaning.
Make sure you thoroughly grasp the categories in the above sections namely: critical reading, math and writing skills. This means understanding the requirements for each section. A web site like http://www.collegeboard.com provides some outstanding information on each skill category.
If you recognize that you are weak in a particular section and stronger in others concentrate on the sections where you are lacking and try to improve your skills by:
* Studying the basic principles and requirements for each section. In other words know what your examiners are expecting you to know!
* Creating a list of questions for yourself to answer.
* Giving yourself frequent ‘closed-book’ tests (with a time limit) aimed at preparing yourself for getting the answers right under tense conditions. If you are nervous about a section it will affect your performance especially if you are not very proficient in the subject matter.
* If you know you REALLY need help with a section enlist the help of a tutor to help you to brush up on your skills. Never be embarrassed to ask for help.
* If you know you are not particularly strong in either section you will have to concentrate on all of them equally, so draw up a time-table with scope for each category and stick to it.
Tips for Taking the PSAT
* Answer the easy questions first
After all the scores are all the same and it will give you a definite confidence boost. The easy questions are at the beginning of each section while the harder ones appear at the end with the exception of the Critical Reading section. These are arranged by the logic and organization of the passages you need to read and understand.
* Guessing smart?
If you don’t know the right answer for a particular multiple-choice question try to rule out the ones you definitely know are wrong. This will raise your odds of guessing the correct one or give you the clarity to remember the correct answer. If the question is in the math section and there are no answer choices choose your best guess. There are no points deducted for wrong answers in the match section.
* Leave out questions if you have no idea of the correct answer
However, if you can eliminate a choice, try to guess from the remainder of options.
* Never panic if you cannot answer every question.
You can still attain a good score without answering all the questions. In fact, if you answer about half of the questions correctly and leave the rest out your score will be average.
* Do rough work in your test book
Cross off options you know are wrong and mark any questions you have left out. You may have time to return to them later.
You can also cross off choices you know are wrong and mark questions you have omitted so you can go back to them if you have time. Do this when you do your practice tests as your study for the PSAT, also.
*Keep your eye on the time
Where you have completed a section before time is called, check your answers in that section only.
The PSAT is a worthwhile test to take as it lays the groundwork for your future SAT test and college admission test. You don’t need to be anxious if you know how to study for the PSAT test. So get some help, practice, test yourself and get the best score possible. There are several helpful books on the market to help you. Try: ’11 Practice Tests for the New SAT and PSAT: With Free Access to Online Score Reports and More SAT Help’ by Princeton Review. It includes 11 full-length tests based on the latest test specifications as well as online tests (free) and individual scoring.