The PSAT, Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT), is known as a practice for the SATs. Students generally take the PSATs during the midyear of their sophomore year, and the beginning of their junior year. The test is only 2 hours and 45 minutes, in which students are tested on reading, writing, and math skills. Reading tests students’ comprehension of passages and their ability to interpret meaning. Writing and language tests student’s grammar, sentence structure, and the effectiveness of communication. While in math, students are tested on their algebra, problem-solving, and data analysis abilities.
The main purpose of the PSATs is to prepare students for the SATs, which allows them to familiarize themselves with the test format, question types, and pacing. The practice gained from taking the PSAT can help reduce anxiety and boost confidence when students have to take the actual SAT.
Elianna Calicchio ‘25, a senior who’s taken both the PSATs and SATs, said, “I felt like the digital version of the PSAT prepared me for the real test. The PSAT helped me manage my time, as well as get an idea for what topics and concepts assessed were.”
The main feedback and score reports that students get from these standardized tests not only provide overall scores but also a breakdown of their performance from each section, offering an insight into areas of strength and weakness that are needed for improvement.
Taking the PSAT gives students access to the Student Search Service, which connects them with colleges and universities across the country. Through this service, students learn about potential schools, scholarship opportunities, and different career paths. It’s a helpful tool for students to start exploring where they might want to apply to college in the future. PSATs also help students earn a National Merit Scholarship by landing a high score of 1480-1520. The National Merit Scholarship gives the students recognition from the College Board and also gives them a scholarship of $2,500 for college.
Many students will wonder how to prepare for this PSAT, as the SAT requires a level of preparation and a great deal of effort.
More specifically, students can review study materials, as the College Board offers official PSAT prep materials, which include practice tests and question guides. Taking practice tests also helps students with the time component, so they can get used to the pace of the real exam. Once a student has taken a practice test, they should review the areas where they struggled the most. By focusing on the specific topics, students will most likely improve their scores. Using online resources also provides many websites and apps that offer additional practice questions, explanations, and study tips. Some of these even provide personalized study plans based on a person’s performance.
Abby Wolkow 27’, a sophomore ready to take the PSATs, says, “I’m kind of nervous to take it but I know that it will help to prepare me for my SATs! I feel a little prepared just because I’ve taken the majority of the courses that they will be asking questions about, but I haven’t done any actual preparation”
Many students make the same mistakes when taking standardized tests like the PSAT, so there are many things to watch out for. First, it’s important to read the directions for each section carefully. Sometimes the directions give hints about how to answer the questions correctly. If students don’t know the answer to a question immediately, it’s better to skip it and move on rather than guessing and getting it wrong. Students can always come back to it later if there’s time. On multiple-choice questions, if one is unsure about the answer, they should try to rule out any answers that they know are wrong. This gives students a better chance of guessing correctly.
When taking these tests, remember that it’s best to remain calm, as these are only the PSATs. Knowing the tips mentioned above, along with understanding the test format, can ultimately help boost your scores.
