How to Prep for the PSAT

The Preliminary SAT (PSAT, for short) is one of the most effective preparatory exams as a gateway for taking the SAT in high school. This exam is offered to students as a way to ensure that test takers are given exposure to how the SAT will look when they take the exam later on. This being said, the PSAT is not used for college admission or even consideration, so do be cognizant when preparing for the PSAT that it is a stepping stone towards the SAT itself.

One of the greatest advantages of taking the PSAT is having the potential to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship program, which can award up to $2,500 for its top PSAT/NMSQT scorers. These scores are determined within schools, and then sent up to state levels for semifinal qualification, and national winners are determined from that point on. To be able to achieve that scholarship and merit, an exceptional PSAT score is required. In addition, since the scoring scales align so closely, it is very highly recommended that students take the PSAT with the impression that they are taking their first official SAT exam. The sections are nearly identical, although a bit smaller than the full length SAT, so the preparation tactics for both align well. To perform well on the PSAT, follow some of these tips:

1) The math section gets progressively more difficult, so make sure to spend your time wisely throughout the section. If there are more familiar concepts, be sure to get through them as efficiently as you can. Note, efficiently does not mean quickly--rather, take the least amount of time you can to get your highest accuracy quotient.

2) All questions are worth the same number of points. Since there are no negative points awarded for incorrect answers on the test, be sure to answer every question with at least a guess, but certainly answer the questions that you are confident in without miss. This means you need to be able to look ahead in the exam and answer the questions that you can get to most easily. This, then, translates to ensuring that every question has its own timer for you, and if you are not able to make an educated start on the problem within thirty seconds, it is time to move on.

All of the sections in the exam fall closely in line with the SAT itself, so look through our SAT strategies to see section by section breakdowns of how to perform well on the exam. To be the most confident possible on the PSAT, ensure that you have prep done beforehand, but again, take it easy, this is your first step towards taking the SAT!