BHSPA PSAT

Preliminary Planning for College: PSAT

Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT)

What Is the PSAT
The Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT) is a practice test for the Scholastic Assessment Test I (SAT I). It consists of three sections:

Section	# Minutes	# Questions	Types of Questions
Verbal	50	52	Analogies Sentence completions Critical reading
Math	50	40	Regular multiple choice Quantitative comparisons Constructive responses
Writing Skills	30	39	Identify sentence errors Improve sentences Improve paragraphs

When to Take the PSAT
Take the PSAT in the Fall of the Junior year when it is used as the basis for awarding the National Merit Scholarship Awards. If students want additional practice, they may want to take the PSAT for the first time in their Sophomore year, when it doesn’t count towards the National Merit Scholarships.

How to Register
To register for the PSAT:

Sign up at the BHS Guidance Office in September.
Pay the $25 registration fee.
Mark your calendar with the correct date, time, and location of the test (typically in October).
Pick up a copy of the PSAT/NMSQT Student Bulletin to help prepare.

Use the PSAT/NMSQT Student Bulletin to Practice
The PSAT/NMSQT Student Bulletin includes three sections:

Section 1: Hints and tips
Section 2: One complete practice test
Section 3: A comprehensive list of scholarships

To take advantage of the Bulletin:

Spend at least 30 minutes studying the hints, tips, and explanations of the sample math, verbal, and writing skills questions.
Take a few minutes to learn how to fill in information on the answer sheet.
Take the practice test like it's the real thing!

Test Dates and Location
BHS will administer the 2006-2007 PSAT test date on Saturday, October 21 at the high school.