PSAT/Generic Test-Taking Strategies

General Health Strategy for Tests Don’t cram the night before Ensure a stress-free test day Sleep well and eat a good breakfast Show up early and know where to go

Proper SAT/PSAT Strategies Be familiar with the order of difficulty (OOD) and use it to your

advantage Do not answer questions sequentially! Answer easy questions

first and hard questions last. Always use process of elimination (POE) Reading from E to A (in reverse) will help you pay more attention

to answer choices 4 in a row means ‘no’ – you will never find 4 of the same answer

in a row Study up on grammar and vocab before the test so you don’t end

up answering questions based on “sounds like” Don’t be afraid to guess, it’s not penalized – meaning that each

wrong answer is -1/4 and each correct answer is worth 1. On average, a test taker will get 1 of 5 even if they are just guessing.

Working/Studying for the PSAT Nothing will help as much as working through practice

sections – find them online, at Half-Price, etc. Know the time structures and sections of the test. Let there

be no surprises! Ask questions in class or on forums. Use flash cards, mnemonics, quizlet, crosswords, etc. Divide your practice into a weekly regimen based on how

long you have until testing day When you are getting familiar with sections, don’t worry

too much about time. As you become knowledgeable, hold yourself to accurate time standards.

Get a clear idea of your own personal OOD! Not everyone finds the same questions difficult.