Although the best preparation for the PSAT/NMSQT is long term—such as taking solid academic courses and reading
widely—students will perform better on the test if they know what to expect on test day.
Short-term approaches and strategies:
Encourage your students to follow these approaches and strategies:
 Take the practice test in The Official Student Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT.
 Learn the directions for each type of math and critical reading question.
 Try sample questions from past tests.
 Earn as many points as they can on easy questions.
 Read all the answer choices before marking their answer sheets.
 Do their scratchwork in the test book.
 Skip test questions—they don't have to answer every question to do well.
 Work steadily without wasting time on hard questions—they can always go back to them later.
 Check their answer sheets regularly to make sure they're in the right place.
 Write answers to grid-ins in the boxes above the ovals.
 Try educated guessing when they can eliminate at least one answer to a multiple-choice question.
 Take a calculator on test day.
About guessing
Educated guessing means guessing an answer whenever one or more of the choices can be eliminated as definitely wrong. Encourage students to use educated guessing.
Because ¼ of a point is deducted for a wrong answer to multiple-choice questions, random guessing is not recommended. Advise students to leave that question blank and move on to the next one.
Students can earn an above-average score by getting only half the questions right and omitting answers for the rest of the questions.
Sentence Completions
Here are some general hints for answering Sentence Completion questions.
1.
Read the entire sentence to yourself.
2.
Watch for introductory or connecting words and phrases like "but," "not," "because," etc.
3.
In sentences with two blanks, make sure the words for both blanks make sense in the sentence.
4.
Start by working with one blank at a time.
5.
Stay within the meaning of the sentence.
6.
Before you mark your answer, read the complete sentence with your choice filled in.
Passage-Based Readings
1.
Here are some general hints for answering Passage-Based Reading questions.
2.
Don't skip introductions to passages.
3.
Read each passage and any accompanying information carefully. Follow the author's reasoning and be aware of features such as assumptions, attitudes, and tone.
4.
You may find it helpful to mark the passages as you are reading, but don't spend too much time making notes.
5.
Read each question and all the answer choices carefully.
6.
When a question asks you to compare an aspect of a pair of passages, don't be misled by choices that are correct for only one of the two passages.
7.
Select the choice that best answers the question asked. Don't select a choice just because it is a true statement.
8.
You may find it helpful to read the questions first to get an idea of what to look for. Or, you may prefer to read the passage and try to answer the questions.
Math Multiple Choice
Here are some general hints for answering Regular Multiple Choice questions.
1.
Look at the answer choices before you begin to work on each question.

2.
Read each question carefully, even if it looks like a question you don't think you can answer. Don't let the form of the question keep you from trying to answer it.
3.
If your answer isn't among the choices, try writing it in a different form. You may have the same answer in a different mathematical format.
Grid-Ins - Student-Produced Response
Here are some general hints for answering Student-Produced Response questions, also called Grid-Ins.
1.
Since answer choices aren't given, a calculator may be helpful in avoiding careless mistakes on these questions.
2.
It's suggested that you write your answer in the boxes above the grid to avoid errors in gridding.
3.
The grid can hold only four places and can accommodate only positive numbers and zero.
4.
Do not worry about which column to begin gridding the answer. As long as the answer is gridded completely, you will receive credit.
5.
Unless a problem indicates otherwise, an answer can be entered on the grid either as a decimal or as a fraction.
6.
You don't have to reduce fractions like 3/24 to their lowest terms.
7.
Convert all mixed numbers to improper fractions before gridding the answer.
8.
If the answer is a repeating decimal, you must grid the most accurate value the grid will accommodate.
9.
Some questions may have more than one right answer.
10.
You don't lose any points for a wrong answer.
11.
Know the gridding rules before taking the test.
Identifying Sentence Errors
Here are some general hints for Identifying Sentence Errors.
1.
Read the entire sentence carefully but quickly.
2.
Look at choices (A) through (D) to see whether anything needs to be changed to make the sentence correct.
3.
Don't waste time searching for errors. Mark (E) No error, on your answer sheet if you believe the sentence is correct as written.
4.
Move quickly through questions about Identifying Sentence Errors. The other kinds of questions (Improving
Sentences and Improving Paragraphs) will probably take more time.
5.
Mark questions that seem hard for you and return to them later.
Improving Sentences
Here are some general hints for Improving Sentences.
1.
Read the entire sentence carefully but quickly. Note the underlined portion because that is the portion that may have to be revised.
2.
Remember that the portion with no underline stays the same.
3.
Mark choice (A) if the underlined portion seems correct. Check the other choices quickly to make sure that (A) is really the best choice.
4.
Think of how you would revise the underlined portion if it seems wrong. Look for your revision among the choices given.
5.
Replace the underlined portion of the sentence with choices (B) through (E) if you don't find your revision.
Concentrate on the choices that seem clear and exact when you read them.
Improving Paragraphs
Here are some general hints for Improving Paragraphs.
1.
Read the entire essay quickly to determine its overall meaning. The essay is meant to be a draft, so don't be surprised if you notice errors. Don't linger over those errors.
2.
Make sure that your answer about a particular sentence or sentences makes sense in the context of the
passage as a whole.
3.
Choose the best answer from among the choices given, even if you can imagine another correct response.