PSATs

PSATs/NMSQT

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html

What are the PSATs?
The PSATs stand for Prelimilary Scholastic Aptitude Test. 
The Preliminary SAT^®/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is a co-sponsored program by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).  It's a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT Reasoning Test™. It also gives you a chance to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship programs.

Even if you took the PSATs in 10th grade, ALL JUNIORS SHOULD TAKE THE PSATS AGAIN in OCTOBER.  First, this test may allow you to qualify for scholarship money.  Secondly, the PSATs may be used to assess how prepared you are for the SATs to determine whether or not you may need to take a SAT preparation course to boost your scores. 

This information was taken directly from the CollegeBoard's website.  For more information, please visit:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html

Date:  Saturday, October 17

Cost:  There is a charge of $13 per answer sheet submitted for scoring. (Schools may add an additional fee to cover administrative costs.)

The PSAT/NMSQT is 2 hours and 10 minutes long, plus approximately 35 minutes of administrative duties.

Assessing skills

The PSAT/NMSQT measures:

·          Reading, math reasoning, and writing skills that are important for successful academic performance in college

·          Knowledge and skills developed through years of study in a wide range of courses as well as through experiences outside the classroom

·          Critical thinking—the ability to reason with facts and concepts, rather than the ability to recall and recite them

Test sections

The PSAT/NMSQT has five sections:

·          Two 25-minute critical reading sections

·          Two 25-minute math sections

·          One 30-minute writing skills section

Scoring

·          Scores for each section—critical reading, math, and writing—are on a 20-to-80 point scale

·          Correct answer = 1 point

·          Omitted answer = no points

·          Wrong answers to multiple-choice questions = minus ¼ of a point

·          Wrong answers to student-produced math questions = no points deducted

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