PSAT/NMSQT Administration Date: ________________________
PSAT/NMSQT® Planning Calendar
This calendar is intended to help school leaders plan for, administer, and use data and results from the PSAT/NMSQT®. Educators should feel free to add to,
customize, and reorganize the content and share the calendar with colleagues. Remember to:
 Visit professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/psat/deadlines for the latest information about dates and deadlines.
 Adjust the dates in this calendar according to the PSAT/NMSQT administration date.
 Consult publications such as the PSAT/NMSQT Registration Announcement or Official Educator Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT for further details about these
action items.
Action Item
a)
Order PSAT/NMSQT materials for the
upcoming fall administration.
Date
Item Category
Owner
Mid-April
Administration
PSAT/NMSQT
Coordinator
Notes
b)
Introduce students and families to the
April/May
Communication
Counselors
PSAT/NMSQT — distribute the
PSAT/NMSQT Benefits Flyer for
Students & Parents found at
collegeboard.org/psatdownloads.
c)
Request accommodations for students May
Administration
Services for
with disabilities before the end of the
Students with
school year — must be received by the
Disabilities
College Board before the end of
(SSD)
August. More information at
Coordinator
professionals.collegeboard.com/testing
/ssd.
Official Student Guides delivered to schools that ordered test books by June 30 — Mid-September
d)
Visit classrooms to talk about the
Mid-September
Administration
Counselors
PSAT/NMSQT with students —
distribute copies of the Student Guide
and answer questions.
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PSAT/NMSQT Administration Date: ________________________
Action Item
e)
f)
Help families understand the
importance of the PSAT/NMSQT —
distribute family handouts found in the
Educator Guide and download other
materials at
collegeboard.org/psatdownloads.
Display the PSAT/NMSQT poster in a
high traffic area at schools — schools
receive the poster in their summer
educator mailing.
Date
Item Category
Owner
Late
September/Early
October
Communication
Counselors
September/
October
Administration
School
U.S. schools receive all test materials — At least one week before test administration
g)
Verify test materials — ensure that you October — at
Administration
have received all cartons. Without
least one week
opening bags, check that test books
prior to test day
and answer sheets are for the correct
test date and count the tests.
h)
Distribute copies of the Supervisor’s
October — at
Administration
Manual to all test proctors.
least one week
prior to test day
Notes
PSAT/NMSQT
Coordinator
PSAT/NMSQT
Coordinator
i)
Copy and distribute the Associate
Supervisor/Proctor Checklist— from
Educator Guide.
October — at
least one week
prior to test day
Administration
PSAT/NMSQT
Coordinator
j)
Train staff who will be serving as test
proctors on test day.
October — at
least one week
prior to test day
Administration
PSAT/NMSQT
Coordinator
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PSAT/NMSQT Administration Date: ________________________
Action Item
Date
Item Category
Owner
October
Administration
School
k)
Administer PSAT/NMSQT: Wednesday
or Saturday test administration.
l)
Help students prepare for the SAT® and December–
administer an SAT Practice Essay with
January
the ScoreWrite™ guide and at
collegeboard.org/scorewrite.
Connect to
Instruction —
SAT
English
Teachers
m)
Order optional reports, such as the
Student Data File, at
collegeboard.org/school.
Connect to
Instruction
PSAT/NMSQT
Coordinator
Connect to
Instruction
Teachers
Communications
Counselors
April–November
Score reports mailed to school principals — Early December
n)
Distribute and review student test
December
books with Score Reports — help
students interpret results and review
incorrect responses with students to
help them recognize and correct
mistakes.
o)
Send student Score Reports to families December
— include letter explaining results and
next steps (download template at
collegeboard.org/psatdownloads).
Notes
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PSAT/NMSQT Administration Date: ________________________
Action Item
p)
q)
r)
s)
t)
Help students and families understand
results — download Understanding
Results from the PSAT/NMSQT and A
Parent Tutorial for Understanding 2013
PSAT/NMSQT Results online at
collegeboard.org/psatdownloads (can
be sent along with student Score
Reports).
Plan a My College QuickStart™ session
to introduce students to college
planning resources, including
MyRoad™ — schedule a computer lab
session and have students sign into My
College QuickStart at
collegeboard.org/quickstart.
Help students use MyRoad to plan for
college — download and use the
MyRoad lesson plans available at
professionals.collegeboard.com/k12/planning/myroad/educators.
Access the AP Potential™ tool— view
and download rosters using your
password at
appotential.collegeboard.com/welcom
e.do and within My College QuickStart.
Schedule and conduct a PSAT/NMSQT
professional development workshop —
share and review the SOAS Report with
teachers, department heads, and
curriculum specialists. Analyze data to
identify skill areas that need
improvement, and make adjustments
to curriculum.
Date
Item Category
Owner
December
Communications
Counselors
Mid-December
College Planning
Counselors and
Teachers
December
College Planning
Teachers
December
AP Planning
Counselors,
Teachers,
Principals
January
Connect to
Instruction —
Professional
Development
District and
School
Leadership
Notes
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PSAT/NMSQT Administration Date: ________________________
Action Item
Date
Item Category
Owner
u)
[IF ORDERED] Review the Student Data
File for common issues and challenging
questions.
January
Connect to
Instruction
Districts,
Principals,
Teachers
v)
Schedule meetings with AP teachers —
discuss student recruitment based on
rosters generated from AP Potential.
January
AP Planning
Counselors
w)
Create and send letters to inform
families about their students’ potential
for success in AP classes — sample
letters are available for download in
the AP Potential tool at
appotential.collegeboard.com/welcom
e.do
January–March
AP Planning
Counselors
Notes
© 2014 The College Board. College Board, AP, SAT, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. AP Potential, MyRoad,
My College QuickStart, and ScoreWrite are trademarks owned by the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and
National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Visit the College on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.
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