What is the PSAT and Why Should I Take It?
The PSAT is the qualifying exam for the National Merit Scholars Program.
7,400 National Merit Scholarships of three types and approximately 1,200 Special Scholarships will be awarded every year; these 8,600 awards will have a combined value of more than $43 million. A complete list of corporate and college who participate in the National Merit Program may be found at http://nationalmerit.org/Merit_Sponser_Leaflet.pdf.
What are my Chances?
1.5 million students take the PSAT every year, about 50,000 receive some sort of National Merit recognition, such as Commended Scholar, Semi-Finalist, Finalist, or National Achievement Scholar. The top ½ of 1 percent who take the test become National Merit Scholar Finalists, the top 3% are recognized as Commended or Semi-Finalists. This is based on the high score in your state for the year, so winning scores change from year to year, winning scores in Kansas have typically been around 220.
ACT
2 hours 55 minutes
(3hours and 25 minutes with writing)
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SAT
3 ½ hours including the optional 50 minute essay
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PSAT
2 hours 45 minutes
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English
75 questions
45 minutes
4 choice-multiple choice
Usage/mechanics questions
Rhetorical skills questions
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Reading:
52 questions
65 minutes
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Reading
60 minutes
47 questions
5 passages: 1 literature, 2 history/social science, 2 science
1-2 graphs
1 passage will include compare/contrast
Questions go in order that they appear in the text
Difficulty of questions is random
Multiple choice 4 answers
Text evidence and graph questions
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Math
60 questions
60 minutes
5-choice multiple choice questions
Pre-algebra-trigonometry
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Math
2 sections
No Calculator:
20 questions
25 minutes
With Calculator:
38 questions
55 minutes
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Math
Two sections
45minute-Calculator permitted section
27 multiple choice
4 grid-ins
25 minute-no calculator section
13 multiple choice
4 grid-ins
Emphasis on algebra and stats.
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Writing (optional)
40 minutes
1 essay
Prompt given
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Writing and Language:
44 questions
35 minutes
Optional 50 minute essay
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Writing and Language
1 section
35 minutes long
4 passages—11 questions per passage with 44 questions total
Questions are in a random order of difficulty
Multiple choice 4 answers
Evidenced based reading with questions involving editing.
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Reading
40 questions
35 minutes
4-choice multiple-choice
Comprehension and reasoning
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New score is 1600
Writing and reading score will be combined for a score between 200-800 points
Math score will be scored between 200-800 points
Essay no longer impacts overall score.
Essay receives 3 different scores, ranging between 2 and 8, that grade reading analysis and writing.
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Correct Answer
1 point
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Science
50 questions
35 minutes
4-choice multiple-choice
Interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning and problem solving
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Unanswered Questions
0 points
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Unanswered Questions
0 points
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Incorrect answer to a multiple choice question NO PENALTY
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Incorrect answer or unanswered questions
0pts
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ASVAB Career Exploration test