PSAT/Generic
Test-Taking
Strategies
General Health Strategy for
Tests
 Don’t
cram the night before
 Ensure a stress-free test day
 Sleep well and eat a good breakfast
 Show up early and know where to go
Proper SAT/PSAT Strategies







Be familiar with the order of difficulty (OOD) and use it to your
advantage
Do not answer questions sequentially! Answer easy questions first
and hard questions last.
Always use process of elimination (POE)
Reading from E to A (in reverse) will help you pay more attention to
answer choices
4 in a row means ‘no’ – you will never find 4 of the same answer in
a row
Study up on grammar and vocab before the test so you don’t end
up answering questions based on “sounds like”
Don’t be afraid to guess, it’s not penalized – meaning that each
wrong answer is -1/4 and each correct answer is worth 1. On
average, a test taker will get 1 of 5 even if they are just guessing.
Working/Studying for the PSAT







Nothing will help as much as working through practice
sections – find them online, at Half-Price, etc.
Know the time structures and sections of the test. Let there
be no surprises!
Ask questions in class or on forums.
Use flash cards, mnemonics, quizlet, crosswords, etc.
Divide your practice into a weekly regimen based on how
long you have until testing day
When you are getting familiar with sections, don’t worry too
much about time. As you become knowledgeable, hold
yourself to accurate time standards.
Get a clear idea of your own personal OOD! Not everyone
finds the same questions difficult.