Welcome to Montour High School

Preparation for the PSAT

Expectations at the High SchoolMaturityResponsibilityAccountabilityGet InvolvedStudy Habits

Graduation RequirementsYou need a minimum of 26 credits to graduate.

You need a minimum of 7 credits per year.English: 4 creditsSocial Studies: 4 creditsMathematics: 4 creditsScience: 3 creditsBusiness Information Technology/Computer

Applications: 1 creditPhysical Education/Health: 1 creditElectives: 8 creditsGraduation Project: 1 credit

The PSATThe Preliminary SAT/National Merit

Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program cosponsored by the College Board

and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC)

. It's a standardized test that provides firsthand

practice for the SAT®. It also gives you a chance to enter NMSC scholarship programs

and gain access to college and career planning tools.

What does the PSAT measure?Critical Reading SkillsMath Problem-Solving SkillsWriting Skills

You have developed these skills over many years, both in and out of school.

This test doesn't require you to recall specific facts from your classes.

Why should I take the PSAT? It’s free! The test is October 17th. You receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills. You can focus your preparation on those areas of weakness. It helps get you ready for college. You can see how your performance on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college. It helps you prepare for the SAT. You can become familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions you will see on the SAT. Can enter scholarship competition (11th grade)

What’s on the PSAT?There are 5 sections on the PSAT.

Two 25-minute critical reading sections 48 questions (13 sentence completions and 35 critical

reading questions)Two 25-minute math sections

38 questions (28 multiple choice and 10 student-produced responses)

One 30-minute writing skills section 39 questions (14 identifying sentence errors, 20

improving sentences, 5 improving paragraph questions)

The whole test requires 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Can I use a calculator?Yes, students are

strongly encouraged to use a calculator! (p. 17)Take a calculator you

know how to use.Don’t try to use the

calculator on every question.

Decide how to solve the problem before using the calculator.

You are not permitted to share a calculator.

Approved Calculators: Four-function calculator Scientific calculator Graphing calculator

Not Permitted: Pocket organizer Hand-held or laptop computer Electronic writing pad or pen

input device Calculator with typewriter-like

keypad Calculator with paper tape Calculator that makes noise or

requires an outlet

Preparing for the PSATGo to www.collegeboard.org for informationTake some challenging academic courses and

read a variety of books (not just what is required)!

Start practicing with sample questionsBecome familiar with the instructions for

each type of test questionTake the practice test (you can review

complete answer explanations for all the questions on the practice test)

Please go to this website on your Career Cruising homepage:

PSAT Prep link:

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about/ontest.html

Critical Reading Hints (p. 8)

Sentence Completion Questions measure your knowledge of the meanings of words and ability to understand how the different parts of a sentence logically fit together. Read the entire sentence to yourself. Watch for introductory or connecting words and phrases

like but, not, because, etc. In sentences with two blanks, make sure the words for

both blanks make sense in the sentence. Start by working with one blank at a time. Stay within the meaning of the sentence. Before you mark your answer, read the complete sentence

with your choice filled in.

More Critical Reading HintsPassage-Based Reading Questions measure your

ability to read and think carefully about a single reading passage or a pair of related passages. Don’t skip introductions to passages. Read each passage and any accompanying information

carefully. You may find it helpful to mark the passages as you read. Select the best answer choice- don’t select just because it’s

true. You may find it helpful to read the questions first to get an

idea of what to look for. When a question asks you to compare an aspect of a pair of

passages, don’t be misled by choices that are correct for only one of the two passages.

Math Hints (p. 17)

When answering multiple choice questions, you are given 5 choices to pick from.

Look at all answer choices.If your answer isn’t among the choices, try

writing it in a different form. You may have the same answer in a different format.

More Math HintsGrid-ins (student-produced responses) require you to

solve a problem and enter your answer. (p. 26) A calculator may be helpful for these questions. It’s suggested that you write your answer in the boxes above

the grid to avoid errors in gridding. The grid can hold only 4 places and can accommodate only

positive numbers and zero. Don’t worry about which column to begin gridding. As long

as the answer is gridded completely, you receive will credit. An answer can be entered as a decimal or a fraction. You don’t have to reduce fractions to simplest terms. Convert all mixed numbers to improper fractions before

gridding. Some questions may have more than one right answer. You don’t lose points for a wrong answer with these math

questions.

Writing Skills Hints (p.29)

Identifying Sentence Errors Questions test your knowledge of grammar, usage, word choice, and idioms.You either find errors in sentences or indicate there is

no error.Look at choices A through D to see whether anything

needs to be changed to make the sentence correct.Don’t waste time searching for errors. Mark E (no

error) on your answer sheet if the sentence is correctly written.

Move quickly through these types of questions since the other writing skills questions may take more time.

Mark questions that seem hard for you and return to them later.

More Writing Skills Hints…Improving Sentences Questions ask you to

choose the best, most effective form of an underlined portion of a given sentence.Read the entire sentence (not just the underlined

portion).Mark Choice A if the underlined portion is correct.Think how you would revise the underlined portion

if it seems wrong- then look among your choices.Concentrate on choices that seem clear and exact

when you read them.

More Writing Skills HintsImproving Paragraphs Questions require

you to make choices about improving the logic, coherence, or organization in a flawed passage.Read essay quickly to determine overall

meaning. The essay is meant to be a draft, so don’t worry about the errors.

Make sure that your answer about a particular sentence or sentences makes sense in the context of the passage as a whole.

Please answer some practice questions from the reading, math, and writing

sections.

PSAT is on October 17thVisit www.collegeboard.org for more

information!

If you have any additional questions or concerns about anything, please visit Mrs.

Usouski in the Guidance Office.

Please complete the survey in Career Cruising.