A Step to the
Future
Preparing Students
for the 2007
PSAT/NMSQT
This material was produced solely by the College Board for its organizational purposes;
National Merit Scholarship Corporation was not involved in its production.
What is the PSAT/NMSQT®?
• PSAT/NMSQT® stands for Preliminary SAT/
National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
• The PSAT was first administered in 1959; it became the
PSAT/NMSQT in 1971 when National Merit Scholarship Corporation
began to co-sponsor the test.
• The PSAT/NMSQT has kept pace with all the changes to the SAT ®
over the years, and even preceding the SAT when it added the
multiple-choice Writing Skills section in 1997, though the
PSAT/NMSQT does not include an official essay like the SAT does.
• In 2006, over 3.3 million students took the PSAT/NMSQT:
46% were eleventh-graders, 53% were tenth-graders or younger
students.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Benefits of taking the PSAT/NMSQT
The test provides:
• the best preparation for the SAT Reasoning Test™.
• the entry point to compete for National Merit
Scholarships (usually in 11th grade) including the
National Achievement Program. It also provides
recognition via the National Hispanic Recognition
Program.
• the option to receive information from colleges and
scholarship services through the secure, strictly
monitored Student Search Service®.
• personalized feedback on critical reading, mathematics,
and writing skills, including specific suggestions for
improvement.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Benefits of taking the PSAT/NMSQT
Additionally, when students receive their score reports, they
will receive a supplemental, online tool, My College
QuickStart™, with access until they graduate high school.
It includes:
• an interactive score report with easy access to all test questions full
answer explanations (reminder – students should review their testbook
also, to see any scratch work done on test day);
• insights into how students’ academic skills compare to their college-bound
peers, via state percentiles (national percentiles will be on your official
paper PSAT/NMSQT Score Report);
• for high school students, a personalized online SAT study plan that will
provide additional practice questions and suggestions for further practice
based upon their PSAT/NMSQT results;
• access to MyRoad™, a dynamic Web-based career, major, and college
exploration tool
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
What skills are
tested on the
PSAT/NMSQT?
What does the PSAT/NMSQT actually
test?
• Like the SAT, the test assesses the
academic skills that students develop
over the years, primarily through their
academic course work.
• It measures critical reading, math
reasoning, and writing skills that are critical
for success in college.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
What does the PSAT/NMSQT 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.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
PSAT/NMSQT
Critical Reading Questions
• 13 Sentence Completions
• 35 Passage-Based Reading Questions
(100- to 800-word passages)
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
PSAT/NMSQT
Mathematics Questions
• 28 Multiple-Choice Questions
• 10 Student-Produced Response Questions
(”Grid-ins” or “free-response”)
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
PSAT/NMSQT
Writing Skills Questions
• 20 Improving Sentences Questions
• 14 Identifying Sentence Error Questions
• 5 Improving Paragraph Questions
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
How does the PSAT/NMSQT compare to
the SAT?
• Same question types, except the SAT includes an essay
assignment that does not appear on the PSAT/NMSQT.
• The PSAT/NMSQT is 2 hours, 10 minutes; the SAT is 3
hours, 45 minutes.
• The SAT may have some math questions from third-year
math courses; the PSAT/NMSQT will not. (Samples of
third-year math questions are available to high school
students in the My SAT Study Plan section of My College
QuickStart when score reports are distributed to schools.)
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Sample
PSAT/NMSQT
Questions
Critical Reading Section
Sentence 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
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Critical Reading Section
Sentence 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
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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.
A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Critical Reading Section
Passage-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.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Critical Reading Section
Passage-Based Reading
The “acquaintance” mentioned in line 2 can best be
described as a
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(A)
skeptic
(B)
hypocrite
(C)
hoaxer
(D)
confidant
(E)
mystic
A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Critical Reading Section
Passage-Based Reading
The “acquaintance” mentioned in line 2 can best be
described as a
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(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.
A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Math Section
Multiple 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
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Math Section
Multiple Choice
If ax + bx = 36, what is the value of x when a + b = 12?
(A) 3
(B) 6
(C) 12
(D) 24
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.
(E) 48
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Math Section
Student-Produced Response
h 1 5h
• If — + — = — ,
4 3
6
what is the value of h?
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Math Section
Student-Produced Response
h
1
5h
If — + — = — ,
4 3
6
4 /
7
what is the value of h?
• 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.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Math Section
Know the Student-Produced Response
Directions
• Read and understand
the directions in the
PSAT/NMSQT
Official Student Guide
ahead of time.
• IMPORTANT: The
correct answer must
be gridded correctly
to receive credit.
What is written in the
boxes cannot be
scored.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Math Section
Student-Produced Response Practice Grids
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Math Section
Calculators are encouraged
• A scientific or graphing
calculator is
recommended.
• Bring a familiar
calculator, for test day
is not the time to figure
out how to use a new
calculator.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Writing Section
Improving 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
(Note: In this question type, the first choice always repeats the
underlined phrase exactly, thus would mean “no change”.)
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Writing Section
Identifying Sentence Errors
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
Choice (B) is correct. It avoids the errors of the original by
eliminating both the unnecessary adverb, "then," and the vague
pronoun, "they."
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Writing Section
Identifying Sentence Errors
The electronic computer is a technological triumph that scientists
have developed, mastered, and then put it to constantly
A
B
C
increasing use. No error.
D
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E
A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Writing Section
Identifying Sentence Errors
The electronic computer is a technological triumph that scientists
have developed, mastered, and then put it to constantly
A
B
C
increasing use. No error.
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."
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Writing Section
Improving 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.
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(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.
A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Writing Section
Improving 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.
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(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.
A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Writing Section
Preparation for the SAT Essay
A practice SAT essay assignment will be
printed on the PSAT/NMSQT Score Report.
In the My SAT Study Plan section of My
College QuickStart, high school students
will be able to see sample papers written for
that essay assignment and learn about how
the SAT essay will be scored.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Scoring the
PSAT/NMSQT
How is the
PSAT/NMSQT 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)
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
How is the
PSAT/NMSQT scored?
• Scores are reported on a scale of 20–80 for each
section: critical reading, mathematics, and writing
skills.
• For eleventh graders, 47–50 is about average; for
tenth graders, 43–46 is about average; for ninth
graders, average is about 38-42 .
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
How does a PSAT/NMSQT score
compare to an SAT score?
• Some students add a “0” to the two-digit PSAT/NMSQT
score to give a rough estimate of a three-digit SAT score.
• High school students receive a more reliable SAT
projected score range in their online SAT study plan.
• SAT writing score = approximately 1/3 essay scaled score
+ 2/3 multiple-choice score.
• Students who have taken the PSAT/NMSQT average
higher scores on the SAT than those who have not.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Personalized Skills Information
The PSAT/NMSQT Score Report contains
information to help students improve their
academic skills.
• Lists those skills that have the best chance of
improvement with additional work.
• Includes advice, written by teachers, on how to improve
those skills.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Getting ready
to take the
PSAT/NMSQT
Long-term and short-term
preparation
Long-Term Test Preparation
Developing Skills
Students should READ:
• improve vocabulary and develop essential skills
through continuous reading
• read more books than just those required
for class
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Long-Term Test Preparation
Developing Skills (continued)
• Students should:
• exercise, develop, and strengthen critical
thinking, higher-order reasoning, and problemsolving abilities by taking the most challenging
courses that they can
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
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 complete answer explanations
for the questions on the Practice Test and for additional practice test
questions
• Sign up to receive the SAT Question of the Day at
www.collegeboard.com (free)
• Understand “formula scoring” and “educated guessing”
• Become familiar with the types of test questions, the test directions,
and test format
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Test-Readiness Strategies
When students sit down to take the test, they should:
• Read all the directions (if you’ve become familiar with these by taking
the Practice Test, you will save some time on test day)
• Read all the answer choices
• Do scratch work in the test book
• Work steadily
• If students skip a question, they should be sure to note it in the test
book and leave it blank on the answer sheet; then return to it if there
is time remaining to work on that particular test section.
• Remember: students don’t have to answer every question to score
well
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Be sure to take the Practice Test inside
the Official Student Guide
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
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 when answer
choices can be eliminated.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Wild Guessing
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Wild Guessing
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Educated Guessing
46
A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Educated Guessing
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Answer Key
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Wild Guessing
=
correct
answer
Score = 0
=
wrong
guesses
2 – (¼ X 8)
=2-2
=0
=
correct
guesses
1 correct
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Educated Guessing
=
correct
answer
Score = 5
=
wrong
guesses
6 – (¼ X 4)
=6-1
=5
=
correct
guesses
6 correct
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
To learn more…
visit www.collegeboard.com
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
To learn more…
visit www.collegeboard.com
Create your free online account to access all the college
planning resources and tools available to students.
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT
Take the PSAT/NMSQT
• How to sign up: Guidance Office or immediately after
today’s presentation.
(Be sure to pick up the Official Student Guide with Practice Test.)
• Test Day/Date: Saturday, October 20, 2007
• Time: 7:30 AM
• Where: Yellow Guidance
• Bring:
 Two #2 Pencils
 Calculator
 E-mail Address (optional, but encouraged)
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A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT