What is the PSAT and how can it help you?
What is the PSAT and how can it help you?
Students in the eighth and ninth grades should take the PSAT 8/9, while sophomores should take the PSAT 10. The National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, also known as the PSAT/NMSQT, is taken by students in their sophomore or junior year. A junior who achieves the required PSAT/NMSQT scores may be eligible for a National Merit Scholarship which can mean vast funds for your college education.
Resources you can use to Study for the PSAT
Using the official materials accessible via the Khan Academy or the College Board website is a good method to find practice for the PSAT. As you get ready for the PSAT and subsequently the SAT, it is advised that students should take the time to pinpoint their areas of weakness and work on them. To complete practice exams on time, it is advised that students closely monitor their pace. They also advise them to look for trends in the problems they missed on practice exams and to fill in any gaps in knowledge. The PSAT operates differently than the SAT, which is registered by students through the College Board. Students who are interested in taking the PSAT tests can do so directly through their high school; they should consult counselors for registration information, since it may differ depending on the student's grade level.
Scholarships + Confidence for SAT
Unless a student is vying for a National Merit Scholarship or another type of special scholarship, the PSAT is typically a low-stakes exam. T taking the PSAT can be an excellent approach to discovering weaknesses in a particular topic or to overcoming test anxiety as colleges don't utilize it as part of their admissions requirements. Due to the similarities between the PSAT and SAT, taking the PSAT might be a helpful exercise for practicing for the SAT.
"The SAT is somewhat longer and harder, but it measures the same thing as it's as if someone took most of the easy and medium questions on the SAT and built the PSAT," said one test-taker.
Conclusion
The PSAT is a great tool that helps younger students prepare for the SAT in advance by offering real and meaningful practice, while simultaneously giving them the opportunity for one to earn precious scholarships. How one does on the PSAT can usually be correlated to how one performs on the SAT, as their format and the overall feel is similar. As the tests are extremely similar, one can also simply use SAT prep to prepare for the PSAT, although the questions might be slightly higher in difficulty.
Daniel Z is a current student planning to major in computer science. He hopes to provide invaluable information regarding how to be successful in your high school career!