* Your academic background: If you're taking challenging courses in high school and consistently achieving high grades, you'll likely find the PSAT easier than someone who's not. The PSAT tests skills developed in typical high school curricula.
* Your preparation: Students who study and practice with PSAT-style questions will generally perform better than those who don't. There are significant preparation resources available, making a difference in perceived difficulty.
* Your strengths and weaknesses: The PSAT covers reading, writing and language, and math. You might find one section significantly easier or harder than others depending on your individual abilities.
* Your test-taking skills: Beyond subject matter knowledge, effective test-taking strategies (time management, pacing, eliminating wrong answers) can significantly impact your score and your perception of the test's difficulty.
In short, there's no single answer to how hard the PSAT is. For some students, it's a relatively straightforward assessment of their high school learning. For others, it can feel challenging and require significant preparation. It's generally considered less difficult than the SAT, but still requires effort and preparation for a good score.