Hey ya'll, I'm hearing a lot about this 'PSAT'. Could someone give me the rundown of what this test is about, its structure, and the implications of its scores for college apps?
Sure, I'd be happy to provide a brief overview.
The PSAT, or the Preliminary SAT, is essentially a practice version of the SAT, a standardized test offered by College Board. It's designed to help students get a sense of what to expect when taking the actual SAT.
The PSAT is offered to high school sophomores and juniors, typically once a year in October. The structure of the PSAT/NMSQT, as of Spring 2024, is digital and consists of Reading and Writing: two 32-minute modules, to complete 54 questions, and Math: two 35-minute modules, to complete 44 questions. Altogether, you'll have 134 minutes to complete the 98 questions.
What's special about the PSAT is its tie-in with the National Merit Scholarship Program. High-scoring juniors on the PSAT may qualify for recognition by the National Merit program, which could come with potential scholarship opportunities. However, it's important to underscore that being named a National Merit Scholar is not a common occurrence—it is a distinction given to only a fraction of 1% of test-takers nationally.
Once you get your PSAT score back (out of 1520, not 1600 like the SAT), you can use it as a benchmark to understand how you might perform on the SAT and where you need to target your studying efforts. However, the conversion from PSAT to SAT is not 1:1 - for example, an 1150 on the PSAT might be around an 1180 on the SAT.
As for college admissions, PSAT scores aren't included in your portfolio of work that gets sent to colleges. They're mainly a tool for students to understand their current standing and improve where necessary. It's actually the SAT/ACT scores, grades, essays, recommendations, and extracurriculars that carry the most weight. However, PSAT scores can be an excellent way of getting a grip on the testing process and potentially a head start on preparation.
One final tip: there's a helpful app called The Bluebook™ that allows you to preview the digital PSAT/NMSQT, and take a full-length practice test, which could be a great tool for preparation. I hope this clarifies things and best of luck!
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