The Preliminary SAT®/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSC) is co-sponsored program by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). It is the first of several standardized test that most American high school students take on their path to college acceptance. This page will help you learn how to take the PSAT.
2009 PSAT Test Dates
The PSAT will be administered on Wednesday October 14 and Saturday October 17 in 2009. Registration and testing is handled individually by high schools, so which date you will take the test will be determined by which date your high school is administering it. Contact your guidance counselor for registration deadlines and fees.
Introduction
Even though the PSAT results aren't used by colleges in making an admission decision, you'll want to do well on the test. The scores from a PSAT/NMSQT taken in your junior year in high score are used to determine eligibility for some college scholarships.
Step 1: About the PSAT
The PSAT is a standardized test, similar to the SAT. It is administered by the College Board, and used by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to determine eligibility for National Merit Scholarships. The PSAT tests the same topics as the SAT Reasoning Test, which include:
- Critical reading skills
- Math problem-solving skills
- Writing skills
Step 2: Why Take the PSAT?
The PSAT is not required by any college as part of the admissions process, and the scores are not used in making admissions decisions. Nevertheless, most high school students take the PSAT.
- It helps familiarize a student with the types of questions that will be on the SAT, and gives them practice in taking a test that is similar to, although shorter than, the SAT.
- If you take the test in your junior year, you'll be automatically entered into the National Merit Scholarship Corporation competition.
- The scores on the PSAT can be used to predict your scores on the SAT, allowing you to focus preparation on areas that might need improvement before you take the actually SAT.
Step 3: When to Take the PSAT
In order to enter the scholarship competition, you need to take the test in your junior year of high school. Some students take the test multiple times, beginning in their freshman or sophomore year, believing that practice will improve their scores and increase their odds of receiving a scholarship. The test covers Algebra I and Geometry, so a student should have successfully completed both of those courses before sitting for the exam.
