The official name of the PSAT/NMSQT is the Preliminary SAT National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The College Board, the organization that provides the SAT, cosponsors the PSAT/NMSQT with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Often called the PSAT for short, the test has two main purposes. As its name implies, it is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship program. Secondly, it serves as a preparatory tool for the SAT in that its format and content mimic that of the actual SAT.
Your score on the PSAT/NMSQT is a good indication of how well you will do on the SAT. In addition to giving you a good idea of what to expect on the SAT, taking the preliminary test will identify weak areas and help you develop a plan of study to strengthen those skills.
High school students can take the PSAT/NMSQT at their local high school in October of their junior year. The test is given all across the country on the same date. Registration and testing procedures are usually coordinated by the guidance counselor's office. Online registration is not available for the PSAT, and there is an examination fee. Scores are official for juniors only, but some schools allow sophomores to take the test for practice.
Although the PSAT provides good practice in a controlled test-taking environment, other practice materials allow students to study and review on their own time. There are several good resources available, and many of them are free. One of the best is the information booklet you receive when you register for the SAT. It contains a full practice test that mimics the actual exam. Online resources that provide free SAT practice tests include 4Tests.com, Petersons.com, PrincetonReview.com and TestPrepPractice.net. The official site of the College Board, CollegeBoard.com, has a wealth of information about the SAT in general and provides practice questions for each section of the test. See the resources section of this article for links to the sites mentioned.