The PSAT, or preliminary scholastic aptitude test, prepares students to take the SAT and makes them eligible for scholarships awarded by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Most students wait until their junior year to take the PSAT, but some academically advanced sophomores choose to take the test. Taking a prep course before sitting for the PSAT can substantially increase your score over self-guided studying.
Instructions
1. Find a PSAT prep company that offers courses in various formats. If you are a disciplined studier and like to work independently, an online course may work best for you. Traditional classroom formats work well for those who need more structure and learn best through live interaction. For intense instruction, consider individual or small group tutoring sessions.
2. Familiarize yourself with the material covered on the PSAT before attending your first class session. If you know what's on the test, you can determine what questions to ask your instructor and which subject areas will potentially cause the most problems for you. The PSAT has five sections: two math sections; two critical reading sections; and a writing section. You'll need to know basic geometry, algebra, arithmetic and data analysis for the math sections. The critical reading sections cover sentence and reading comprehension. For the writing section, you won't have to write anything. Rather, you'll have to identify grammatical errors in sentences and paragraphs.
3. Attend all class sessions. PSAT prep courses are usually very short and may involve only a few hours of instruction spread over several days. If you have to miss a session, ask to make it up. Failure to show up can hurt your score. In addition, PSAT prep courses can be pricey, so you should get your money's worth.
4. Do all homework and take all practice tests. The best way to study for the PSAT is to practice working problems and answering questions similar to those you'll see on test day. Utilize all study materials provided by your course instructor like flashcards and practice problems.
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