PSAT Help

What's up With The PSAT?
Do you know what PSAT stands for? Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test. You might be thinking: if it is a preliminary test, I don't have to worry about preparing for it, right?

Wrong! In actuality, getting top scores on your PSAT is very important!

While the PSAT is great practice for the even-more-crucial SAT, doing well on the practice exam can also mean big bucks for you. That's because the PSAT is also the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). So the PSAT/NMSQT is the test that helps decide which students are National Merit Finalists. And being a National Merit Finalist can mean major scholarship money for college--sometimes even 100% for all four years!

For more information on the National Merit Scholarship, log on to their Web site at www.nationalmerit.org. For more information on the PSAT go to www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html.

Breakin' Down the PSAT
The PSAT is divided into three sections: critical reading, math and writing. The three sections are scored from 20 to 80 points, which add up to a maximum composite score of 240 points. The entire exam takes two hours and ten minutes. Learn about the PSATs at CareersandColleges.com.

PrepMe.com is a SAT/PSAT program that can on average increase your score by 305 points!

To get prepared for the PSAT, check out some helpful books:

Kaplan PSAT 2007 Edition

McGraw-Hill's PSAT/NMSQT

Cracking the PSAT/NMSQT, 2008 Edition

This blog was written by Valerie Anderson

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