Successful test-taking requires strategy.
The PSAT, Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test, is exactly that: preliminary. PSAT results are looked at closely by school officials as a predictor of SAT success, and SATs are used for college placement. The PSAT also qualifies students for a National Merit Scholarship, while providing them with good information on their learning strengths and weaknesses. The PSAT test contains reading, writing and math multiple choice and short answer questions. Like the SAT, successful test-taking strategy applies--prioritizing time, preparing to take the test, and multiple choice test-taking strategy.
Preparing to Take the PSAT
Preparing to take the PSAT is just as important as knowing what to do when you take it. Eating a good breakfast is first and foremost. If you aren't in the habit of eating breakfast, try it for a week to get used to it. The stress of a test can affect blood sugar levels, which in turn affect thinking abilities. A good breakfast can help you avoid this.
Build in Lots of Practice
Answering lots of practice questions is also important. Knowing the types of questions, how they're posed, and what kind of thinking will help develop strategy. Practice questions can be obtained from any test prep's Internet site such as Kaplan Learning or Princeton Review. They can also be found at any book store, or by simply placing the search term "PSAT practice questions" in a search window. Many schools and state departments of education place practice questions up at no cost to students.
Study the Content
Study the content, even if you feel you know it. Two months should be sufficient, but make it routine to review all of the relevant content that will be tested; you might be surprised at what you forgot. This information is available on test prep sites, in book stores, and can even be found with general Internet searches. While they will never give you the exact questions or the exclusive information you'll need, they will give you a general overview of what you can expect to be tested on, and what will likely be covered.
Read Classic Literature
Reading lots of classic literature is another good step to take in preparing for PSAT content. Classic literature is rife with the kind of vocabulary you'll likely encounter on the PSAT, as well as the SAT. In addition, naming some of this literature--the authors, the literary devices used, the themes in famous works--will help on the essay portion.
Prioritize Time
Time is an important consideration when taking the test. Avoid spending too much time on difficult questions at the expense of others. The best strategy is to answer the easy questions first, and return to the more challenging questions when finished. This will give you a better sense of timing, knowing what time is left overall to complete them. Keep a watch visible at all times and check it constantly to be aware of the time and to help pace yourself.
Multiple Choice Strategy
Test-makers are expert strategists in test development; you can be an expert strategist in test-taking. Don't change an answer unless you're absolutely certain of the right answer. Often that first response is the correct response; students err when they succumb to self-doubt about their answers later.
Eliminate Wrong Answers
Don't guess. Be as educated as you can when answering, even if you're a little unsure. Use the process of elimination method by eliminating all the answers you know are wrong. This will usually leave you with two choices (test-developers do this intentionally), and a decision is much easier to make between two answer choices than with four.
Tags: practice questions, good breakfast, knowing what, multiple choice, test prep, test-taking strategy