PSAT: What You Need To Know

The PSAT is a practice test that assists students in developing their test-taking skills for their upcoming - and oh-so-important - SAT aptitude tests or intelligence tests, as some people call them. Though the PSAT, or Pre-SAT test is not as long as the actual SAT examination, it still offers a nearly identical testing environment, and very similar questions are evaluated.

The PSAT assesses your intelligence level by measuring your critical thinking skills and your ability to analyze and solve problems in math, reading, and writing. Though some people question whether or not the PSAT is as meaningful as the SAT, many schools use this junior-year examination to determine scholarship and grant eligibility. For this reason - even though your GPA and application essays are very important - the PSAT is becoming more and more valued for students hoping to get into and pay for a top college or university.

Students are offered various PSAT test dates to work within their personal schedules, and potentially re-take this important college prep test in case they're not satisfied with their first scores. It's very important to pre-register for the PSAT, that way you can receive important information about upcoming examinations. Get a PSAT Bulletin from your guidance counselor or by registering online at www.collegeboard.com. Many answers are available here.

So, what's on this free Practice SAT test? Well, each of the three sections is designed to measure a completely different aspect of your test-taking intelligence. There are two "Verbal" sections, each requiring 25 minutes of your PSAT test-taking attention. The two "Math" sections are also 25 minutes each, for a total of 50 minutes. See, I know my math. And the "Writing" section is one 30-minute long assessment of your ability to read and write well. Nothing to it.

The key is to pace yourself and try to use this as best you can, as good test preparation for the SAT. There are major advantages for students taking the free practice SAT tests, enrolling in tutoring test preparation, or finding other ways to improve their college prep test scores. This will give you an accurate idea for what to expect on the real SAT and can be a genuine relief on test day.

The free practice SAT test will lower your anxiety considerably, which can really improve your SAT scores. You wouldn't take your trigonometry test without studying or discovering what was going to be on it. Why would you take the SAT without at least taking the practice SAT test? The PSAT is smart and good for you too! Register online today and good luck!