Everything You Need to Know About the PSAT

If you’re going to be a high school junior this coming fall, you will likely be taking the PSAT. Are you ready? Check your knowledge against the basics by reading on below!

The PSAT is important to your future success because of its focus on the skills and knowledge at the heart of education. Your results will be a good measure of what you learned so far in high school, as well as what you need to succeed in college. This means that the key to a higher score is NOT memorizing words and facts you’ll forget as soon as you finish the test, and you shouldn’t try to discover secret tricks or cram the night before.

The best way to prepare for the test is to take charge of your own education and learn as much as you can. For instance, you should:
1. Take challenging courses
2. Do your homework
3. Study for tests and quizzes
4. Ask and answer lots of questions in class

Some schools will run PSAT information sessions or pass out explanatory materials in class, but even if your school does this, it’s a great idea to talk to your school counselor for additional information on how to get ready for the testing day. If you need testing accommodations for students with disabilities, your counselor can help you with this. If you’d like more information on what to expect from different sections of the test, please click here.

On testing day, it’s very important that you’re aware of what to bring and what you’re better off leaving at home. You should bring two No. 2 pencils with erasers and an approved calculator. You will likely also need one or more forms of identification, such as a student I.D., a driver’s license, or your social security number. Check with your counselor about what kinds of identification are required at your school. That’s really all you need, because during the test you will only be allowed to have the test book, the answer sheet, your pencils, and your calculator (during math sections only) out on your desk. 

It’s just as important to know what NOT to bring to the PSAT. Besides the pencils and calculator, all other school supplies (including protractors, compasses, rulers, colored pencils or pens, highlighters, scrap paper, and dictionaries) cannot be used during the test. Food and drinks, even bottled
water, are also banned from the testing room. Most importantly, all electronic devices are prohibited from being used during the test AND during breaks. If your device is out or makes noise at any time, you will be dismissed from the test and your scores will be cancelled, so you really need to be sure that electronics are turned off and put away, or even left at home.

You can access practice tests and sample questions here, but if you think you may need some more hands-on preparation, Boston Tutoring Services can help. You can contact us at (781)248-4558 or BostonTutoringServices@gmail.com for more information.

2017 PSAT Testing Schedule
Wed 10/11: Primary test day|
Sat 10/14: Saturday test day
Wed 10/25: Alternate test day
Mon 12/11: Online score reports become available to students

All PSAT testing information accessed at CollegeBoard.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services