PSAT

The PSAT can help you in two MAJOR ways:

1)Getting Scholarship Money

2)Getting SAT Practice

Benefits of taking the PSAT

• The test provides:

• the best practice for the SAT Reasoning Test™.

• the option to receive information from colleges and scholarship information

• information about college major interests

• motivation for students to think actively about preparing for college.

Benefits of taking the PSAT/NMSQT

Additionally, when you take the test, you receive:

• personalized feedback on critical reading, math, and writing skills, including suggestions for improvement.

• information about each test question, including correct answers with full explanations online; students also have their actual test book returned with their score reports.

• insight into how students’ academic skills compare to their college-bound peers.

• free access to MyRoad, a dynamic Web-based career, major, and college exploration tool

Scholarships and Recognition

By taking the PSAT, you may qualify to enter the competitions for prestigious scholarships and participate in recognition programs.

• National Merit Scholarship

• The National Hispanic Recognition Program

• National Scholarship Service

• The Telluride Association

What is on the PSAT?

What is it testing?

What does the PSAT actually test?• Critical reading skills—using content from:

humanities, social studies, natural sciences, and literature.

• Math reasoning skills—using content from: number and operations; algebra and functions; geometry and measurement; data analysis, statistics, and probability.

• Writing skills—focus on editing, grammar, usage, and organization.

Five SectionsCritical Reading (25 minutes)

Math (25 minutes)

Critical Reading (25 minutes)

Math (25 minutes)

Writing (30 minutes)

PSATCritical Reading Questions•13 Sentence Completions

•35 Passage-Based Reading Questions (100- to 800-word passages)

PSATMath Questions•28 Multiple-Choice Questions

•10 Student-Produced Response Questions(”Grid-ins”)

PSATWriting Skills Questions•20 Improving Sentences Questions

•14 Identifying Sentence Error Questions

•5 Improving Paragraph Questions

How does the PSAT compare to the SAT?

• Same question types, except the SAT includes an essay assignment.

• PSAT is 2 hours, 10 minutes; the SAT is 3 hours, 45 minutes.

• SAT will have a few math questions from third-year math courses; PSAT will not.

Sample PSAT

Questions

Critical Reading SectionSentence Completions

Roger said the report was significant; Heather contradicted him, saying that all the information presented was ------- .

(A) contemporary  

(B) scintillating

(C) objective  

(D) irrevocable 

(E) immaterial

Critical Reading SectionSentence Completions

Roger said the report was significant; Heather contradicted him, saying that all the information presented was ------- .

(A) contemporary  

(B) scintillating

(C) objective  

(D) irrevocable  

(E) immaterial

Because Heather is contradicting Roger, the correct response is the word that is most nearly the opposite of "significant.“ Choice (E) is correct. "Immaterial" means inconsequential or irrelevant. Information that is immaterial is by definition not significant.

Critical Reading SectionPassage-Based Reading

• Excerpt from reading passage:

After I left the room, I began to sift my impressions. Only the day before, an acquaintance had warned me to watch carefully for sleight-of-hand tricks, especially as the man had earlier been a stage conjuror.

Critical Reading SectionPassage-Based Reading

The “acquaintance” mentioned in line 2 can best be described as a

(A) skeptic

(B) hypocrite

(C) hoaxer

(D) confidant

(E) mystic

Critical Reading SectionPassage-Based Reading

The “acquaintance” mentioned in line 2 can best be described as a

(A) skeptic

(B) hypocrite

(C) hoaxer

(D) confidant

(E) mystic

The acquaintance mentioned in line 2 warns the author to "watch carefully for sleight-of-hand tricks." Choice (A) is correct. In warning the author to watch out for tricks, the acquaintance is showing that he is skeptical about the telepathist's supposed powers.

Math SectionMultiple Choice

If ax + bx = 36, what is the value of x when a + b = 12?

(A) 3

(B) 6

(C) 12

(D) 24

(E) 48

Math SectionMultiple Choice

If ax + bx = 36, what is the value of x when a + b = 12?

(A) 3

(B) 6

(C) 12

(D) 24

(E) 48

The expression ax + bx is equivalent to (a + b) x, so the equation ax + bx = 36 is equivalent to (a + b) x = 36. When a + b = 12, the equation becomes 12x = 36, which can be solved to get x = 3.

• If — + — = — ,

what is the value of h?

h 1 5h4 3 6

Math SectionStudent-Produced Response

If — + — = — ,

what is the value of h?

h 1 5h4 3 6

Math SectionStudent-Produced Response

4 / 7

• Multiply each member of the equation by 12 (the common denominator) to get 3h + 4 = 10h• Subtract 3h from both sides to get 7h = 4• Divide by 7• h = 4/7.

Math SectionCalculators are encouraged

• A scientific or graphing calculator is recommended.

• Bring one with which you are familiar.

• NO CELL PHONES!!!

A few barges still move oil up to Hartford, but in the old days they had more traffic then.

(A) but in the old days they had more traffic then

(B) but in the old days traffic was heavier

(C) but in the old days they had a lot more

(D) whereas the traffic was a lot more in the old days

(E) whereas then there was more traffic in the old days

Writing SectionImproving Sentences

A few barges still move oil up to Hartford, but in the old days they had more traffic then.

(A) but in the old days they had more traffic then

(B) but in the old days traffic was heavier

(C) but in the old days they had a lot more

(D) whereas the traffic was a lot more in the old days

(E) whereas then there was more traffic in the old days

Writing SectionIdentifying Sentence Errors

Choice (B) is correct. It avoids the errors of the original by eliminating both the unnecessary adverb, "then," and the vague pronoun, "they."

The electronic computer is a technological triumph that scientists

have developed, mastered, and then put it to constantly

increasing use. No error.

Writing SectionIdentifying Sentence Errors

A B C

D E

The electronic computer is a technological triumph that scientists

have developed, mastered, and then put it to constantly

increasing use. No error.

Writing SectionIdentifying Sentence Errors

A B C

D E

The error in this sentence occurs at (B), where an unnecessary pronoun is used. The object of the verb "have . . . put" (like the object of the verbs "have developed" and "have . . . mastered") is the relative pronoun "that," which refers to "technological triumph." The pronoun "it" is therefore unnecessarily inserted after "put."

Writing SectionImproving Paragraphs

(1) The last century was a time of great technological progress. (2) Life is more convenient, comfortable, and efficient today than ever before. (3) Yet this has created new concerns.

Which of the following versions of sentence 3 (reproduced below) is most effective?

Yet this has created new concerns.

(A) Although this has created new concerns.

(B) Yet this progress has created new concerns.

(C) Yet these have created new concerns.

(D) Yet this has created new concerns to worry about.

(E) New concerns have been created.

Writing SectionImproving Paragraphs

(1) The last century was a time of great technological progress. (2) Life is more convenient, comfortable, and efficient today than ever before. (3) Yet this has created new concerns.

Which of the following versions of sentence 3 (reproduced below) is most effective?

Yet this has created new concerns.

(A) Although this has created new concerns.

(B) Yet this progress has created new concerns.

(C) Yet these have created new concerns.

(D) Yet this has created new concerns to worry about.

(E) New concerns have been created.

Choice (B) is correct. The vague pronoun "this" is replaced by "this progress," which clearly refers to the progress mentioned in sentence 1.

Writing SectionPractice for the SAT Essay

A practice SAT essay assignment will be printed on the PSAT/NMSQT Student Score Report. Students can go online to www.collegeboard.com/psatextra to see sample papers written for that essay assignment and learn about how the SAT essay will be scored.

Sentence Completion…Hoping to ------ the dispute, negotiators

proposed a compromise that they felt would be ------ to both labor and management.

• Example

• (A) enforce..useful

• (B) end..divisive

• (C) overcome..unattractive

• (D) extend..satisfactory

• (E) resolve..acceptable

Sentence Completion1. Formerly ---- as a "dumb blond," Marilyn Monroe is now ---- as having been an intelligent, sensitive woman.

(A) sensationalized ... romanticized(B) sabotaged ... described(C) denigrated ... lauded(D) recognized ... remarked upon(E) romanticized ... redeemed

Identifying Sentence Errors

Choose the letter that corresponds to the incorrect part of the sentence. If there are no errors, choose (E).

Both Janet and Tiffany want to be a veterinarian and work in zoos when they grow up.

(A) Both(B) a veterinarian(C) in zoos(D) they grow up(E) No error.

Passage Based Reading

Latin Root Practice

Greek Root Practice

Vocabulary Flashcards

PSAT Words

Scoring the

PSAT

How is the PSAT scored?• Multiple-choice questions: 1 point for each

correct; 1/4 point deducted for each incorrect

• Math grid-ins: 1 point for each correct; 0 points for each incorrect (nothing deducted)

• 0 points for omitted questions (nothing added, nothing deducted)

How is the PSAT scored? • Scores are reported on a scale of 20–80 for each section: critical reading, math, and writing skills.

• For juniors, 47–50 is about average; for sophomores, 43–46 is about average.

Getting ready to take the PSAT/SAT

Long-term and short-term preparation

Short-term Test Preparation

• Students should:

• take the full-length practice test in the Official Student Guide and get comfortable with the test format. Take time to score it, to better understand the scoring process.

• Visit www.collegeboard.com/psat for additional practice test items

• Sign up to receive the SAT Question of the Day at www.collegeboard.com

• Become familiar with the types of test questions, the directions, and test format

Question of the Day

Test-Readiness Strategies• Learn the directions beforehand

• Read all the answer choices

• Do scratch work in the test book

• Work steadily

• If you skip a question, be sure to note it in the test book, and leave it blank on the answer sheet. Return to it if you have time.

• Remember: students don’t have to answer every question to score well

Tips and strategiesSentence Completions

• Some PSAT sentence completions have two blanks rather than one. If you can guess the meaning of one blank, but not the other, scan the answer choices, looking for the word you’ve guessed. Eliminate the answer choices that don’t include it or a near-synonym, and then guess from what remains.

Critical Reading

• Look for the main idea of each paragraph. Remember the concept of the "topic sentence"? Your English teacher may have taught you to include one in every paragraph you write. PSAT paragraphs often contain such a sentence that summarizes the central point of the paragraph. When you find one, underline it.

Test-readiness Strategies

• In most sections, the questions are arranged from easy to more difficult (except for passage-based reading in critical reading section and improving paragraphs in writing skills section)

• Wild guessing is discouraged, but students should make educated guesses.

Tips to Takeaway

• Don’t spend too much time on any single question. Move around in a section, answering the questions you know you can do easily and saving the hard ones for last.

• If you can eliminate at least one wrong answer choice, you should guess.

• Be careful transferring answers.

• Think about the question before you look at the answers.

To learn more…visit www.collegeboard.com

Sources of Information

•www.fastweb.comwww.fastweb.com

•www.scholarships.comwww.scholarships.com

•www.collegeboard.comwww.collegeboard.com

•www.act.org/www.act.org/

•www.petersons.com/www.petersons.com/•http://http://www.vocabulary.co.il/www.vocabulary.co.il/psat_vocabulary/psat_vocabulary/

http://www.college-http://www.college-scholarships.com/scholarships.com/100college.htm.100college.htm.

http://www.finaid.org/http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/.scholarships/.

http://www.fastaid.comhttp://www.fastaid.comwww.ncaaclearinghouswww.ncaaclearinghouse.org.e.org.

http://www.hsf.net/http://www.hsf.net/ http://http://

www.testpreppractice.net/www.testpreppractice.net/PSAT/psat-words-list.htmlPSAT/psat-words-list.html