The Parents Guide to PSAT/NMSQT
College Board
- May 1, 2022
The PSAT/NMSQT is a standardized test that 11th graders (and some 10th graders) take in October. Like the SAT , it measures the knowledge and skills in reading, writing, and math students learn in the classroom—the same knowledge and skills your child needs to succeed in college and career.
- The primary date for the 2022 PSAT/NMSQT was Wednesday, October 12, while some students took the test on Saturday, October 15 or Tuesday, October 25. See more PSAT/NMSQT test dates.
- Students sign up for the PSAT/NMSQT at their school—not online. See how homeschooled students can sign up and take the test at a local school.
- By taking the PSAT/NMSQT as a junior, students may meet the requirements to enter the National Merit® Scholarship Program, an academic competition for recognition and scholarships. Additionally, the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, and PSAT 10 connect students to another $300 million in college scholarships for students across major demographics. Learn more about the scholarships.
- The PSAT/NMSQT has three parts: the Reading Test, the Writing and Language Test, and the Math Test. See what's on the test.
- PSAT/NMSQT scores are available online in December. Here's how your child can see their scores.
- We never send PSAT/NMSQT scores to colleges.
- If your child qualifies for a PSAT/NMSQT fee waiver, they take the test for free. After they take the PSAT/NMSQT, your child may also be eligible for other fee waiver benefits, including 2 free SATs, unlimited free SAT score sends to colleges, waived college application fees at participating colleges and more. Learn more about fee waivers.
Why the PSAT/NMSQT Is Important
When your child takes the PSAT/NMSQT, they open the door to more benefits than you might think.
- It connects students to more than $300 million in scholarships, including the National Merit ® Scholarship Program. If your child opts into our free Student Search Service ® , scholarship providers will invite them to apply.
- It's excellent practice for the SAT. Both tests measure the same knowledge and skills and ask the same types of questions, so PSAT/NMSQT takers will know what to expect on the SAT.
- It's the first step to a free, personalized SAT study plan. Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy ® uses your child's PSAT/NMSQT score to create a customized SAT study plan with sample questions that focus on areas where they need help.
- It shows student progress on the road to college. The PSAT/NMSQT is part of the SAT Suite of Assessments , a series of tests beginning in eighth grade that shows your child and their teachers whether your child is on track for college.
- It shows which Advanced Placement Program ® (AP) courses your child is ready for. The PSAT/NMSQT Score Report indicates which college-level AP courses your child has the potential to succeed in.
Read More About It
- For Students: Scholarships and Recognition
- About the SAT Suite of Assessments
- Parent's Guide to Official SAT Practice
- For Students: Discover Your AP Potential
How to Sign Up
The only way your child can sign up for the PSAT/NMSQT is through their high school. Each school's signup process differs, so your child should talk to their school counselor to learn more.
Some students pay a small fee to take the PSAT/NMSQT, but many students have test-related fees covered in full or in part by their school. If your child qualifies for a PSAT/NMSQT fee waiver, they test for free. For more information, talk to your child's school counselor.
- Learn About the PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10
- PSAT/NMSQT Fee Waivers
How to Practice
The best way your child can prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT is to pay attention in their high school classes and study the course material. Students who do well in school are likely to do well on the PSAT/NMSQT.
Because the PSAT/NMSQT and the SAT focus on the same subject areas and ask the same types of questions, your child can use Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy to practice for the PSAT/NMSQT. It's a free, interactive study tool that provides a personalized practice plan that focuses on exactly what your child needs to stay on track for college.
Your child can download and print official PSAT/NMSQT practice tests .
PSAT/NMSQT Scores
PSAT/NMSQT scores range from 320 to 1520 and are on the same score scale as the SAT. This means that a score of 1100 on the PSAT/NMSQT is equivalent to a score of 1100 on the SAT. The only difference is that SAT scores range from 400 to 1600, because the difficulty level of the questions is higher than on the PSAT/NMSQT.
After your child takes the October PSAT/NMSQT, their scores will be available online in mid-December. If your child has a College Board online account, they'll get an email saying their scores are ready to view on the Student Score Reports website. If they don't, they can talk to their school counselor to get their scores.
Who Sees PSAT/NMSQT Scores
We don't send PSAT/NMSQT scores to colleges. We only send your child’s PSAT/NMSQT score to:
- Their school (always), school district (often), and state (often)
- National Merit Scholarship Corporation
- Select scholarship and recognition programs (your child may opt out of)
If you want to log in yourself to see your child's score report, use the email and password your child used when they set up their College Board online account.
Once your child gets their score report, they should sit down with you and go over it. That way, you both know what to focus on to be ready for college. Score reports also indicate suitable AP or grade-level courses to take in the future.
- For Students: Understanding Scores
- For Students: Who Sees Your Scores
- Student Search Service
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times can a student take the psat/nmsqt.
Most students take the PSAT/NMSQT once—in 11th grade. They can take it up to three times in high school but only once a year. Scholarship programs only look at the junior year PSAT/NMSQT score.
Can ninth graders take the PSAT/NMSQT?
Yes, but they won't be eligible to enter the National Merit Scholarship Program. The PSAT/NMSQT is designed for 10th and 11th graders.
Some schools offer the PSAT 8/9, which tests the same skills as the PSAT/NMSQT, but in ways that are appropriate for earlier grade levels. Check with your child's school counselor to see if your school offers the PSAT 8/9.
Does the PSAT/NMSQT have an essay?
No, the PSAT/NMSQT does not have an essay.
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PSAT Sections
Just like the SAT, the PSAT includes two sections—Evidence-Based Reading & Writing and Math—comprised of three tests: Reading, Writing & Language, and Math. There is no Essay. Here's what you can expect on each test section.
Because the PSAT and SAT are almost identical tests, the most efficient way to prep for the PSAT is to prep for the SAT. Our SAT programs will help you prep for both the PSAT and the SAT, so you excel on both exams.
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Do students have to write an essay on the PSAT 10?
No. Students do not need to write an essay on the PSAT 10.
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PSAT Test-Taking Strategies: Top 3 Tips
Enhance your test prep by reviewing our top PSAT test-taking tips and strategies. As you study for the exam, you should familiarize yourself with the overall structure of the PSAT as well as the structure of the three tests it entails: Reading , Writing & Language , and Math . The PSAT strategies and tips outlined in this article can be applied to any of these tests to help raise your PSAT score .
PSAT Test-Taking Strategies
The PSAT is different from the tests you are used to taking in school. The good news is that you can use the PSAT’s particular structure to your advantage.
For example, on a test given in school, you probably go through the questions in order . You spend more time on the harder questions than on the easier ones because harder questions are usually worth more points. You probably often show your work because your teacher tells you that how you approach a question is as important as getting the correct answer.
This approach is not optimal for the PSAT . On the PSAT, you benefit from moving around within a section if you come across tough questions, because the harder questions are worth the same number of points as the easier questions. It doesn’t matter how you arrive at the correct answer—only that you bubble in the correct answer choice.
Below, we list three expert PSAT strategies to help you boost your confidence – and your score.
1) PSAT Test-Taking Strategies: Triaging the Test
You do not need to complete questions on the PSAT in order. Every student has different strengths and should attack the test with those strengths in mind. Your main objective on the PSAT should be to score as many points as you can. While approaching questions out of order may seem counter-intuitive, it is a surefire way to achieve your best score.
Just remember, you can skip around within each section, but you cannot work on a section other than the one you’ve been instructed to work on.
To triage the test effectively, do the following:
- First, work through all the easy questions that you can do quickly. Skip questions that are hard or time-consuming
- For the Reading and Writing & Language Tests , start with the passage you find most manageable and work toward the one you find most challenging. You do not need to go in order
- Second, work through the questions that are doable but time-consuming
- Third, work through the hard questions
- If you run out of time, pick a Letter of the Day for remaining questions
A Letter of the Day is an answer choice letter (A, B, C, or D) that you choose before Test Day to select for questions you guess on.
2) PSAT Test-Taking Strategies: Elimination for Multiple Choice Questions
Even though there is no wrong-answer penalty on the PSAT, Elimination is still a crucial strategy. If you can determine that one or more answer choices are definitely incorrect, you can increase your chances of getting the right answer by paring the selection down.
To eliminate answer choices, do the following:
- Read each answer choice
- Cross out the answer choices that are incorrect
- Remember: There is no wrong-answer penalty, so take your best guess
3) PSAT Test-Taking Strategies: Guessing
Each question on the PSAT has four answer choices and no wrong-answer penalty. That means if you have no idea how to approach a question, you have a 25 percent chance of randomly choosing the correct answer. Even though there’s a 75 percent chance of selecting the incorrect answer, you won’t lose any points for doing so.
The worst that can happen on the PSAT is that you’ll earn zero points on a question, which means you should always at least take a guess, even when you have no idea what to do.
When guessing on a question, do the following:
- Always try to strategically eliminate answer choices before guessing
- If you run out of time, or have no idea what a question is asking, pick a Letter of the Day
Expert Test Tip
Heather Waite, Pre-College Instructor
“There is only one correct answer. There is no ‘best’ answer. Every wrong answer on the test has a flaw; find the flaws, find the answer!”
Common PSAT Testing Myths
Since its inception in 1971, the PSAT/NMSQT has gone through various revisions, but it has always been an integral part of helping high school students qualify for various scholarships, including the National Merit Scholarship. As a result of its significance and the changes it has undergone, a number of rumors and myths have circulated about the exam. In this section, we’ll dispel some of the most common PSAT myths. As always, you can find the most up-to-date information about the redesigned PSAT at the College Board website.
[ RELATED PSAT READING: PSAT Reading: How to Raise Your Score ]
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Some schools offer the PSAT 8/9, which tests the same skills as the PSAT/NMSQT, but in ways that are appropriate for earlier grade levels. Check with your child's school counselor to see if your school offers the PSAT 8/9. Does the PSAT/NMSQT have an essay? No, the PSAT/NMSQT does not have an essay. PSAT
There is no Essay. Here's what you can expect on each test section. Because the PSAT and SAT are almost identical tests, the most efficient way to prep for the PSAT is to prep for the SAT. Our SAT programs will help you prep for both the PSAT and the SAT, so you excel on both exams. SEE PREP OPTIONS
PSAT 10 More FAQ Do students have to write an essay on the PSAT 10? No. Students do not need to write an essay on the PSAT 10. Also Found On Parents FAQs: PSAT 10
First, the PSAT is shorter than the SAT in terms of timing and the number of questions. Second, the PSAT does not include an essay section. Third, the PSAT does not test more complex topics such as imaginary numbers or trigonometry. Finally, you’ll take the PSAT at your high school and not an established testing center.