PSAT Info  |  Tips & Strategies  |  Sample Questions  |  Practice Test PDF

PSAT Info

Overview

PSAT stands for Preliminary SAT. It is good practice for the SAT, which contains the same types of questions. The PSAT tests critical reading, math problem solving, and writing skills.

The PSAT Critical Reading sections include reading comprehension questions about full-length and paragraph-length passages. They also include sentence completions.

The PSAT Writing sections include multiple-choice questions on grammar, usage, word choice, and organization. There is no essay section (unlike on the SAT), but schools are provided with a practice essay to help students prepare for the SAT essay.

The PSAT Math sections include multiple-choice questions and grid-in questions, which require the student to generate a response. Topics include numbers and operations; algebra and functions; geometry and measurement; and statistics, probability, and data analysis. Math topics that most first-semester juniors have not yet covered are excluded from the test.

Test Dates and Locations

You must take the PSAT at your high school (or one in your community). The test is given in October. Talk to your school counselor to sign up.

Test Structure

Sections	Question Type	Number of Questions	Time Allotted
Critical Reading	Sentence Completion Passage-based reading	13 35	Two 25-minute sections Total: 50 minutes
Writing	Identifying sentence errors Improving sentences Improving paragraphs	14 20 5	One 30-minute section Total: 30 minutes
Math	Multiple-choice Grid-ins	28 10	Two 25-minute sections Total: 50 minutes

Scoring

Each section (Critical reading, Writing, and Math) is scored on a scale of 20-80. You will also receive a score called the Selection Index, which is the sum of those three scores.