The test is two hours and 10 minutes long and consists of five sections, including two 25-minute reading sections, two 25-minute math sections and one 30-minute writing section. Reading sections consist of 13 sentence completions and 35 critical reading questions, for a total of 48 questions. Math sections include 28 multiple-choice questions and 10 open-ended or "grid-in" questions for a total of 38 questions. Students can bring calculators to help with completing math problems. The writing section consists of 14 items on identifying sentence errors, 20 items on improving sentences and five items on improving paragraphs.
The test measures critical reading, math and writing skills. Each of the sections is graded on a scale of 20 to 80 points and is scored similarly to the SAT. The score report shows scores for each of the three content areas and provides national percentiles to give the student an idea of how he scored relative to others. The score report also lists a Selection Index, an index used to determine eligibility for the scholarship program. Scores are available through the school's guidance counselor, usually in December or January.
Aside from the obvious benefit of being a practice test for the SAT, the PSAT gives students feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. Knowing where their strengths and weaknesses lie helps students focus on those areas when studying for the SAT. Juniors can enter the scholarship competition if they take the PSAT. In addition, students can receive information from colleges if they select to do so on the form.