Your 2024 Guide to the PSAT

The PSAT is a practice test for the SAT, a common college entrance exam. By taking the PSAT, you can familiarize yourself with the test format and questions, identify areas for improvement, and increase your confidence on test day. Your PSAT scores aren't shared with colleges, so it's a good way to build your knowledge of the test and hone skills in tested subjects ahead of the SAT. 

During the 2021-2022 school year, about 3.6 million learners took the PSAT, according to College Board, the nonprofit that administers the tests each year [1]. 

What is the PSAT?

PSAT stands for Preliminary SAT and serves as a primer for the SAT, a college readiness exam. The test is two hours and 14 minutes long, usually taken during junior year, and meant to evaluate your skills in:

• Reading 

•  Writing

• Math 

The exam is usually taken by learners at their high school. The test is typically administered in October each school year, with an option to test on a Saturday. In fall 2024, the PSAT/NMSQT exam will be held on two Saturdays, October 12 and October 26, to accommodate those observing Yom Kippur (Jewish Day of Atonement) on October 12 [2]. The cost to take the test is $18 as of the 2024-25 school year [3], although some schools cover all or some of the cost. 

The PSAT is also known as the PSAT/NMSQT or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Learners with high PSAT scores can qualify for scholarships. The score you need to qualify varies by state, but top-scoring learners could be invited to apply for a National Merit Scholarship or corporate scholarships.  

Who should take the PSAT?

High school juniors usually take the PSAT, but any learner from eighth to eleventh grade can take the test. However, different versions of the test exist based on grade level:

• If you're in eighth grade, you can take the PSAT 8/9, which is more appropriate for your grade level. 

• If you're in the ninth grade, you can also take the PSAT 8/9 or PSAT, although you won't be eligible to enter the National Merit Scholarship Program yet.

• In tenth grade, you can take the PSAT 10 or the PSAT. 

• If you're in eleventh grade, you take the PSAT.

Every school offers different tests. You will need to take the PSAT through your school, not the College Board directly, so you can contact your school for more information about what they offer.

What's on the test?

The PSAT consists of two sections: 1) reading and writing, 2) math. Below is a more detailed breakdown of each section

• The reading and writing section is 64 minutes long with 54 questions.

• The math section is 70 minutes long with 44 questions.

Reading and writing 

The reading and writing portion of the PSAT includes two modules. Each module includes 27  multiple-choice questions. Passages in this section, spanning literature, social studies, humanities, and science, serve as the foundation for answering questions. Each passage is accompanied by a single question, which may fall within one of four broad categories: 

• Craft and structure: The questions in this segment evaluate your ability to understand and use words in context, analyze the structure and purpose of texts, and draw connections between related topics

• Information and ideas: This segment assesses your skills in discerning specific details, utilizing evidence from text and various visual aids, and making conclusions.

• Standard English conventions: This segment tests your capability to edit text to adhere to fundamental conventions of Standard English sentence usage, structure, and punctuation.

• Expression of ideas: This domain includes questions that test your capacity to revise texts to enhance written expression and fulfill specific rhetorical objectives.

Math

The math section also includes two modules. Each module consists of 22 questions. The questions are categorized into the following domains: 

• Algebra: This segment assesses your ability to analyze, solve, and create linear equations and inequalities, as well as analyze and solve equations and systems of equations using various techniques.

• Advanced math: Questions within this segment cover advanced math topics, including exponential, quadratic, rational, radical, and polynomial, among other nonlinear equations.

• Problem-solving and data analytics: This domain evaluates your proficiency in applying quantitative reasoning to ratios, rates, and proportional relationships, comprehending unit rates, and analyzing 1- and 2-variable data. 

• Geometry and trigonometry: This segment includes questions about area and volume, including angles, triangles, circles, and trigonometry.

You can use a calculator for all questions in the math section.

PSAT scoring

Your PSAT score is a number between 320 and 1520, which represents your total score. Your total score is the sum of two scores from the two sections. Each section's score ranges between 160 and 760 points. Both sections equally influence the overall score.

If you plan to take the exam this fall, you can view your test results on one of the three score release dates: October 24, November 7, and November 14, 2024. You'll see your total score, percentile ranks that show how your scores compare to other learners, and section scores. 

PSAT vs. SAT

The PSAT is meant to reflect how you'd likely do on the SAT, though if you compare the PSAT versus SAT scoring, the highest score you can reach on the PSAT is 1520, and the SAT is 1600. On the PSAT 8/9, the highest possible total score achievable is 1440.

What is a good PSAT score?

A PSAT score between 1210 and 1520 represents the top 10 percent. The average PSAT score is 920 [4]. 

How to prepare for the PSAT

To prepare for the exam, consider setting aside a few hours each week to study. Plan to start your study sessions a few months before the test. Since the exam is in October, you can start studying in the summer before you plan to take the test. 

To prepare, consider following these tips: 

1. Review the test format.

The PSAT is a timed test split into two sections. You have 64 minutes for the reading and writing section and 70 minutes for math, which equals 134 minutes. In the math section, solving certain questions without a calculator can prove more advantageous, even though you have permission to use one. 

2. Consider taking a diagnostic test.

Before you start studying, you can take a pre-practice test to see where your strengths and weaknesses are. By evaluating the scores, you can see which sections of the test you should focus on and what kind of questions present challenges. 

3. Set an educated score as a goal.

While your main objective is to earn a high PSAT score, it's a good idea to set a more specific benchmark. To do so, you can explore the SAT scores you need to get into your ideal colleges and use that as your target score. 

4. Set a study plan and get study materials.

To help stick to a study routine, plan a date and time to prepare for the PSAT weekly. Consider purchasing PSAT preparation books and attending test prep classes. Instructors can help you make a study plan, provide guidance, and keep you on schedule.  

5. Take practice exams.

While you can only take the PSAT once a year, you can take as many practice exams as you want. Practice tests help you feel comfortable with the test format, practice answering questions in the allotted time, and familiarize yourself with the structure of test questions.  

Next steps 

Preparing for the PSAT, now accessible in digital format, can help you succeed in your SAT exam. Featuring the same sections, timing, and evaluation criteria as the SAT, the PSAT enables you to develop essential reading and writing as well as math skills. 

If you plan to take the PSAT, talk to school counselors about test resources and dates and set aside time to study. If you'd like to brush up on skills required for the test, consider taking online classes like Algebra: Elementary to Advanced Specialization on Coursera. Offered by Johns Hopkins University, this course can help you solidify your algebra and geometry skills through flexible, online classes.