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The PSAT (Preliminary SAT) is a test sponsored by the College
Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
The test is meant to help you practice for the SATs and it’s a way
for you, the test-taker, to qualify for scholarship programs. It
also serves as a way for you to find planning tools.
This test measures three very important skills that students
should have at the time that they take the test.
These skills are:
 Critical Reading
 Math Problem-Solving
 & Writing Skills
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The test consists of different sections with different types of questions,
adding up to about two hours. These are:
 Two 25 minute practical reading sections
 Two 25 minute math sections
 And One 30 minute writing skills section
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The critical reading sections consist of stories and questions and some fill in
the blank/complete the sentence questions.
The math sections are mostly multiple choice, with the exception of ten “you
produce them” answers. You should bring a calculator. The math sections
covered are numbers of operations, algebra and functions, geometry and
measuring, and analysis and probability.
The writing skills section is made up of identifying the errors in sentences,
making sentences better, and improving paragraphs. These questions are
meant to see how well you can express your ideas and to show where your
grammar and defining skills might be kind of weak.
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The PSAT could help you pin-point the areas that
you have to practice on for the SATs. This way you
can focus on these areas when you study for the
tests.
It can also help you see how your performance
compares to that of others who have taken the test.
As a junior, you could also enter the NMSC
scholarship competition
Finally, the test shows you the types of questions on
the SAT so you know what is coming.
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The top ten tips given to PSAT and SAT takers are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Answer the easy questions first and mark harder ones so you can
come back to them later.
When unsure of an answer, try to use the elimination process to see
which answer fits best.
Try not to make marks on the answer sheet, except on your answer,
because the machine that corrects the test can’t distinguish
between doodles and answers.
Know that you get one point for a correct answer, partial points for
wrong answers, and no points are taken away for blank answers or
wrong ones in the “you produce the answer” math section.
Only change an answer if you’re sure that you did something wrong.
6. In the test, the easiest questions usually come before
hard ones.
7. Keep track of the time you have left, seeing as you only
have a set amount of time to do each section.
8. Know what types of questions are coming (refer to Slide
3)
9. Since you are allowed to write in the booklet, cross out
wrong answers and use scratch paper for the math
questions.
10. If it’s taking you too long to answer a question, skip it and
come back to it if you have time.
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Use these sites to help you practice for your test.
 http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about/ontest.html
- This site has different practices for each different section of the
PSATs.
 http://www.testprepreview.com/psat_practice.htm - This site provides
you with everything you need to be your own PSAT practice teacher.
As the site says, “the best teacher is the one who knows you best,
you!”
 http://www.petersons.com/testprep/practice_test.asp?id=436&path=u
g.pft.psat&sponsor=1 – This one also gives free test-taking so you’ll
know what’s coming on the PSAT.
 http://www.4tests.com/exams/examdetail.asp?eid=59 – This site not
only has practice materials, but it can also refer you to other sites with
more practices.
 http://www.barronstestprep.com/PSAT/home.html - This site,
although not free, is another useful tool in your PSAT preparation.
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"PSAT/NMSQT - The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship
Qualifying Test." PE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0
Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1transitional.dtd":: College Planning Made Easy | Inside Source for College
Admissions Requirements. Web. 02 Oct. 2009.
<http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html>.
"PSAT/NMSQT: What's on the Test." PE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD
XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd":: College
Planning Made Easy | Inside Source for College Admissions
Requirements. Web. 02 Oct. 2009.
<http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about/ontest.ht
ml>.
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"PSAT Test Practice Questions - Help your PSAT Exam
Score with free PSAT Test Preparation." Test Prep Review
| Exam Practice for ACCUPLACER, ACT, GED, GMAT, GRE,
LSAT, MAT, MCAT, NCLEX, Praxis, SAT and other Test
Preparation. Web. 02 Oct. 2009.
<http://www.testprepreview.com/psat_practice.htm>.
"Free Practice Test for the PSAT/NMSQT - Peterson's."
Search for Colleges and Universities, Graduate Schools,
Online Degree, Private Schools - Peterson's. Web. 04 Oct.
2009.
<http://www.petersons.com/testprep/practice_test.asp?i
d=436&path=ug.pft.psat&sponsor=1>.
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"SAT Test Taking Tips and Techniques." SAT, ACT, GRE,
TOEFL, MBE, MPRE, DSM-IV Flash Cards. Web. 04 Oct.
2009. <http://www.testinfo.net/sat/sat-tips.htm>.
"PSAT test prep and practice from Barron's Test Prep."
PSAT, ACT and SAT Test Prep and Practice Tests - Raise
your Test Scores the Easy Way. Web. 04 Oct. 2009.
<http://www.barronstestprep.com/PSAT/home.html>.
"4Tests.com - Free, Practice PSAT/NMSQT Exam."
4Tests.com - Your Free Online Practice Exam Site! Web. 05
Oct. 2009.
<http://www.4tests.com/exams/examdetail.asp?eid=59>
.