Preparing for the PSAT

This blog is a piece of our longer blog article "The Top 10 Things to Know about the PSAT". If you want additional content on the PSAT, check it out here. 
 

Each fall, high schools students across the country head to the classroom to take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).  Popularly known as the PSAT, the exam is co-sponsored by the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Here are some tips and resources to help you prepare for the test.

The PSAT/NMSQT measures the knowledge and skills you have developed to date across a number of skills/subject areas including reading, writing and language, and math – memorizing facts won’t help in preparation at the test focuses on what you’ve learned on the whole.

Because the test measures reasoning and critical-thinking skills, as well as reading/writing, practicing by reviewing sample passes and taking practice tests is recommended. These will provide you a feel for the exam both in terms of content and time allotted to complete.

Go to www.collegeboard.org/psatpractice for sample questions, practice test answer explanations, and full-length practice test(s).  

Visit www.psat.org/scoring to learn more information about how tests are scored and also to seek out personalized practice from Khan Academy (highly recommended).

I hope you’ve found this piece helpful as you look to prepare for your test and ultimately a transition to college and beyond. To learn more about the PSAT and the National Merit Scholar program visit www.nationalmerit.org. Good luck!

This blog is a refresh of a blog we wrote in 2014 by Andrew Potter, Envision CAO, and was updated to provide additional information to help prepare you or your child for the PSAT, by Jan Sikorksy.