PSAT/NMSQTPreliminary SAT/ National Merit

Scholarship Qualifying Test

Three main functions of the PSAT

1. Practice for the SAT The PSAT has the same types of questions

you will see on the SAT. Juniors who took the PSAT scored an average

of 127 points higher on the SAT than those who didn’t.

Three main functions of the PSAT

2. Compare your scores You can gauge how you’re performing relative

to your peer group. These are the same people you will be

competing with for college admission spots. Will you be ahead of the national average or behind? Find out now before it’s too late!

Three main functions of the PSAT

3. Earn money for college Taking the PSAT gives you the opportunity to

qualify for several scholarships, most notably the National Merit Scholarship program.

The top-scoring 50,000 students receive letters of commendation.

15,000 are selected as finalists and 8,200 receive National Merit scholarships, up to $2,500 per year.

Format of the PSAT

SECTION CONTENT TIME QUESTION TYPES

1 and 3 Critical reading

25 minutes each

•13 sentence completion•35 reading comprehension

2 and 4 Math 25 minutes each

•28 multiple choice•10 grid-ins

5 Writing skills

30 minutes •14 identifying sentence errors•20 improving sentences•5 improving paragraphs

Kaplan’s top 3 PSAT strategies

1. Know when to guess On the PSAT, there is a ¼ point penalty for

each wrong answer. If you can determine that one or more of the answer choices are wrong, then guessing makes sense.

Kaplan’s top 3 PSAT strategies

2. Look for quick points Your goal on the PSAT is to earn as many

points as possible. If the clock starts ticking down, jump to the easy questions and knock them out of the way.

Kaplan’s top 3 PSAT strategies

3. Circle the questions you skip The most common mistake on the PSAT is to

fill the right answers into all the wrong spots. Circling questions you skip prevents you from

making costly mistakes on the answer sheet.

Mathematics Content Overview

1. Number and Operations (20-25%)2. Algebra and Functions (35-40%)3. Geometry and Measurement (25-30%)4. Data Analysis, Statistics, and

Probability (10-15%) For the grid-in questions, no answer

choices are given. You write your answer in the grids.

Bring a scientific or graphing calculator.

Sample critical reading question (sentence completion)

Before Karen Chin’s research, scientists assumed that the value of evidence preserved in the fossils called coprolites was too_________ to warrant the effort of__________. A. unpredictable..transformation B. superlative..examination C. conventional..eradication D. relevant..synthesis E. dubious..analysis

-Based on the phrase “scientists assumed that the value of evidence preserved,” does it sound like the scientists thought highly of the evidence? For the first word blank, choose an answer that reflects the negative connotation of the phrase.

-Based on the phrase “to warrant the effort of,” for the second word blank, choose a word that reflects what scientists would do with fossils.