PSAT STUDY GUIDE

If you really want to get a head start on your college or career readiness, you will
want to take at least one of these. Any student in grades 8-11 can take at least
one of these to help prepare them for the SAT or to better understand what they
may need to focus on in their educational endeavors to achieve their goals. Once
you have a good handle on what improvements you need to make you can begin
to make those changes and increase the probability of putting forth a better effort
for your future.

To prepare for the PSAT (Preliminary SAT) effectively, you can follow these
steps:

1. Use Official SAT Practice: The PSAT/NMSQT is designed as an

introduction to the SAT, so practicing with official SAT materials is a great
way to prepare.
2. Set Concrete Goals: Establish specific, achievable goals for your PSAT
preparation.
3. Take Practice Tests: Utilize PSAT/NMSQT practice tests to familiarize
yourself with the exam format and content.
4. Study Guides: Consider using free PSAT study guides available online to
help you know what to study and where to start.
5. Online Courses: Explore online courses like Study.com's PSAT Test Prep,
which provides videos to help you identify your strengths and improve your
skills.
6. Practice Resources: Access free practice resources for the specific year's
PSAT exam.
7. Books: Look for PSAT prep books, which can offer comprehensive study
material and strategies.

Who, When, and Where are they Taken?

There is an $11-16 fee to take these exams. However, many schools cover all or
part of this for their students. Ask your counselor for details.
Special accommodations are available for those with disabilities who may not be
able to test under normal conditions. Speak to your counselor about these
options if they are needed.

PSAT/NMSQT
10th and 11th-grade students

Most students take this exam at their school.

This exam is taken every fall on specific days. Your school will be able to tell you
when they have scheduled it to be taken.

PSAT 10
10th-grade students

Most students take this exam at their school.

This exam is offered every spring. Your school will choose the date(s) you can
take it.

PSAT 8/9
8th and 9th-grade students

Most students take this exam at their school.

This exam is offered every year between September and April. Your counselor
should be able to tell you when it has been scheduled for your school.

What Should I Bring?

You will need to bring a valid school or government-issued photo ID if you are not
testing at your own school or are a home-schooled student. If you do not have
one of these, you may use a notarized College Board Student ID Form. If you are
taking the PSAT 8/9 and are homeschooled, you will need to bring your pre-given
code as well.

You will also need to bring two No. 2 pencils with erasers and an approved
calculator. These can be graphing, scientific, or four-function calculators. You
may not bring any that make noise, connect to the internet, or use paper/tape or
pens.

You may not bring any of the following items:

● Electrical devices, such as cell phones or

smartwatches
● Paper or study material of any kind
● Food and drinks
● Any other writing materials, such as
highlighters or colored pencils
● Protractors, compasses, or rulers

You will only be allowed to have your pencils, calculator, test booklet, and answer
sheet on your desk for the duration of the exam. The calculator will only be
allowed to be used during the math portions of the exam.

What is Covered?
Each of these exams is broken into three main sections and contain multiple
choice questions.

Below is a brief description of each section.

Reading
This section will include the following types of reading passages:
 ● Two science passages about basic concepts in
Earth science, chemistry, physics, or biology
● One passage from a classic or contemporary work of U.S. or world
literature
● One passage or pair of passages from a U.S.
founding document or a text in the Great Global Conversation
● And one passage about economics, sociology,
psychology, or another social science

You will be asked to use that context to find evidence, relationships, the author’s
style, and/or the meaning of certain words or phrases.

Writing and Language

In this section, you will be expected to read passages or single sentences, find
any mistakes in them, and then fix them. Some questions will involve graphics
that must be interpreted. Passages will range from nonfiction narratives to
arguments and be about history, science, social studies, the humanities, and/or
careers.

You will be asked to fix grammatical errors such as punctuation and sentence
structure, improve word choice, improve passage organization to better make a
point, and/or to analyze passages on history and science.

Prior knowledge of the topic being discussed is not required.

Math
Here you will focus on three main arithmetic areas:

Algebra – linear equations, inequalities, and systems

Problem-solving and data analysis – quantitative reasoning of ratios, rates,

and proportional relationships and using a representation of problems.
Advanced math – the structure of expressions and being able to manipulate,
rewrite, and analyze those.

Most math questions will be multiple choice, but some are known as “grid-in”
questions.
these will require that you solve the problem and enter your answer in the
provided grid instead of filling in a circle.

How are they Scored?

When your scores are ready, you will receive an email with instructions on how to
access them. These are calculated by converting your raw score (the number of
correctly answered questions) to scaled scores based on their difficulty.

Your score report will also include your score range, the mean or average scores
earned by other U.S candidates in your grade, your percentile rank in
comparison to other students, and your college readiness benchmarks for each
section of the exam.

There is no penalty for guessing. If you are running short on time, try not to leave
any questions blank and give it your best shot.

Scaled score range: 160-760

Your scores will be available December 10-12, depending on your state. Paper
score reports can be provided by your school.

PSAT 8/9
Scaled score range: 120-720.

They will be available in December depending on when your school returns the
answer sheets.
How Can I Prepare for the PSAT?
We believe that different learning styles require different tools for success. We
have compiled a list of the best study guides, flashcards, and practice tests that
we’ve found on the market. Some of these guides have review videos, for you
visual learners out there. Others have practice tests, which have been proven to
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