The PSAT must be taken on one of two designated dates per year, so be sure to check on the official website or with the education board for these dates. The test dates are sometime in October, and you will receive your score in December. You must also take the test at your high school or another school in your area that has officially registered as a test-taking location. There is a $14 fee per submitted answer sheet, and the school administering the test may require you to pay an additional administration fee. Be sure to contact your school and register for the test in advance.
The PSAT is broken into three sections that mirror the types of questions asked on the SAT. The Critical Reading section is broken into two 25-minute sections with 13 sentence completions and 35 passage-based reading questions. Sentence completions test your logic and measure your vocabulary, while passage readings include paragraphs between 100 and 850 words. You must read the passage and then answer related questions.
The Mathematics section includes questions regarding algebra, geometry, data analysis, statistics and probability. It is broken up into a section of 28 multiple-choice questions that lasts 25 minutes and another 25-minute, 10-question section called "grid-ins," which requires student-produced responses.
The Writing Skills section uses paragraphs to test your knowledge of grammar rules, sentence errors and word choice. It is a single 30-minute section with 14 sentence-error questions, 20 questions on improving sentences and 5 questions on improving paragraphs.
The total test time is 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Each of the three sections has a lowest possible score of 20 and a highest possible score of 80. Each correct answer receives one point, while wrong multiple-choice answers result in a 1/4-point deduction. Not answering a question is better than answering it wrong, as blank answers do not receive a reduction. This mirrors the SAT structure and is meant to dissuade guessing. You can get a general idea of how you would have scored on relative SAT sections by adding a zero to the end of your score. For instance, if you scored a 50 on the Math section, then that would equate to a 500 on the SAT Math section. You can use this measure to show your weaknesses and prepare more for the relevant SAT sections. The better your SAT score, the better your application will look to colleges.
Students who take the PSAT and agree to have their personal information and scores shared might be selected for a scholarship program. There are several different programs that use PSAT scores to screen applicants and award scholarships to those who do particularly well on the test. The National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes 50,000 students each year and awards 9,700 Merit Scholarship awards or undergraduate scholarships. Some corporate sponsors will also provide additional scholarships to some students who are not finalists. The National Achievement Scholarship Program is specifically for African American students; it recognizes 4,700 students and awards 800 scholarships. The Telluride Association provides summer seminar scholarships for students interested in humanities and the social sciences. The National Hispanic Recognition Program acknowledges Hispanic students and informs potential colleges of these successful students.