Here is a quick review of what your student will be preparing for during their PSAT Reading course:
Top PSAT Scores
What is the best way to study for the PSAT?
For those who hope to earn a scholarship with the PSAT or who plan on taking and prepping for the SAT, then taking PSAT prep classes are definitely worth the investment. You can find free courses, as well, including from Khan Academy.
We recommend that students start their prep for the SAT (and/or ACT) during the spring or summer before junior year. Summer prep is a particularly smart move if you're planning to take the August SAT. Our comprehensive SAT prep programs will help you prep for both the PSAT and the SAT, so you can excel on both exams.
Overall, our team found Kaplan's PSAT prep offerings to be very effective and rated them quite highly. Their video lessons, practice exams, and prep materials ensure that you'll have everything you need at your fingertips while readying yourself for test day.
Even though there is no wrong-answer penalty on the PSAT, Elimination is still a crucial strategy....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.
221National Merit Semifinalists Selection Index ScoresStateSelection IndexCalifornia221Colorado217Connecticut220Delaware22048 more rows•Dec 30, 2021
Studying and Practicing for the PSAT/NMSQTMake a study plan. Know when you're taking the PSAT/NMSQT and build a study plan to make the most of your time before the test. ... Discover your strengths and weaknesses. ... Set concrete goals to level up your skills. ... Take full-length practice tests.
Though it varies test to test, on average, Princeton Review seems to offer more practice tests than Barron's. But more than just quantity, we found Princeton Review's practice questions and essay prompts to be more realistic of actual AP exam problems.
In terms of volume, Princeton Review beats Kaplan almost across the board. They provide 2,000 SAT and 1,200 ACT practice questions, to Kaplan's 1,000 SAT and 2,000 ACT problems.
Kaplan wins outright on the quantity front with 5,000+ practice problems (all with accompanying text explanations), while Princeton Review wins on course structure and quality, which at the end of the day, is most important. We prefer the structure of Princeton's curriculum and think it offers a more robust study plan.
In contrast, an excellent score is one that's higher than the 90th percentile, or 90% of test takers. Based on that reasoning, a good PSAT score for a sophomore is a composite score higher than 1060, an OK score is one higher than 920, and an excellent score is anything higher than 1180.
Tip #1: Know when and how to guess. Since there is no penalty for selecting the wrong answer on the PSAT, never leave an answer blank.
Top 10 Tips to ACE the PSAT/NMSQT Math TestThe Absolute Best Book to Ace the PSAT Math Test. ... 1- Understand the question well. ... 2- Start with easy questions. ... 3- Do not dwell too much on questions. ... 4- Choose the best strategy to answer the math question. ... 5- Plugging in. ... Best PSAT Math Prep Resource for 2022. ... 6- Drawn to Scale.More items...•
Depending on the features and level of personal touch you need, a prep package will run you anywhere from around $300 up to $1,700.
If you are just taking the PSAT to prepare yourself for the SAT or if you’re a naturally strong student, you may be able to prepare for the exam wi...
Most likely yes. Most PSAT prep courses provide high quality instructional material and practice work, that upon completion will almost surely rais...
The SAT is still considered the standard for college entrance exams, even as other tests like the ACT take on more importance. In order to ace the SAT, many students turn to the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT), otherwise known as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT).
PrepScholar snags the top spot on our best list for a handful of reasons. For one, they use adaptive technology and algorithms to analyze student weaknesses and strengths, then customize a study program tailored to the student’s abilities.
With an army of PSAT experts and near unlimited resources for designing their prep program, Kaplan’s prep course for the PSAT is among the best out there. Our team particularly likes Kaplan for their robust live online PSAT classes. This is something you just won’t get with PrepScholar or Princeton Review.
The Princeton Review PSAT prep program is all about private tutoring. Depending on how many hours you need and which package you choose, you can plan on spending anywhere from just under $170 up to about $190 per hour, which we see as money well spent for the quality of instruction they provide.
Advertising itself as a world leader in digital prep courses taught by a student who achieved a perfect SAT score and who also appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank, The Kranse Institute PSAT program is combined with their SAT program and offers several tools for success.
The four programs above are some of the best resources available for boosting your score and success on the PSAT. This exam is not only vital for improving your scores on the SAT, and thus getting accepted into your chosen college, but it can also potentially help fund your college career through the National Merit Scholarship Fund.
The PSAT is given over three hours in a single session and covers three sections: evidence-based reading, which comprises 47 questions over 60 minutes; writing and language, which has 44 questions over 35 minutes; and a math section that has 47 questions and is made up of a 25-minute section without using a calculator and a 45-minute section with the use of a calculator.
Once you enroll, you’ll have to attend their course twice a week for 3 hours of instruction. They also have you take a 4 hour self-examination with a practice PSAT exam. The best part of their services is their guarantee. If you don’t increase your overall PSAT score after taking it, you’ll get 100% of your money back.
It’s held directly by the College Board and also sponsored by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. There are a handful of PSAT study guides and prep books floating around out there, and the College Board actually provides some PSAT practice materials on their website.
Kaplan stands out thanks to their live and on-demand course options. WIth more than 13 hours of instruction, as well as practice PSAT exams, Kaplan always has up to date content that makes them a surefire way to boost your score on test day.
TestMasters offers classroom and online courses as well as private one-on-one courses. Each course option consists of 12 sessions. You can take advantage of more than 1,200 pages of review materials and take official SAT practice exams straight from the College Board themselves.
Kaplan offers a complete PSAT prep course in either live or on-demand format. You’ll also take 2 practice PSAT tests which come with a full breakdown and analysis of your scores.
No pressure! The good news is that there are measures you can take to ensure you earn a high SAT score. Let’s talk about one of the simplest and most effective methods of preparation: the Practice SAT (PSAT). The PSAT is an officially sanctioned practice exam that mimics the style and format of the actual exam.
Testmasters can help you prepare for the SAT on top of the PSAT with their course. Still, it’s far from the best option available. If you’re looking for a substantial amount of review materials in a more traditional classroom approach, this isn’ t a bad choice .
Kranse features 10-minute video tutorials that maximize engagement. These courses are designed by someone who achieved perfect scores on the test. A private tutor provides perspective for students and the classes represent a new approach that focuses on shortcuts and strategy rather than memorizing vocabulary and math problems.
With some students taking two decades to pay off their student loans, scholarships are almost a must-have for students these days. So, courses like that offered by College Prep Genius are worth it if they help learners gain a National Merit scholarship.
Kaplan offers tailored PSAT lessons customized by knowledgeable tutors and delivered in one-on-one sessions. Students can choose from weekend, day, and night appointments that work around their schedules.
The Princeton Review is a well-known company with one of the best PSAT prep online courses. Its programs teach students efficient ways to study for the test in order to maximize the prepping process. The program focuses on delivering high-quality content that moves away from a one size fits all approach.
It’s important for students who want to do well to plan ahead and not wait until the last minute to study for the PSAT. The best online prep for PSAT programs often takes several weeks or months to complete. Revolution Prep aims to go beyond standard PSAT practice courses.
Elite’s PSAT programs include some of the best online PSAT prep courses. The company focuses on helping students get a head start in preparing for the PSAT. Students take practice tests and work on improving their test scores and chances of qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship.
Prep Scholar’s PSAT course uses an on-demand format which allows students to complete the material at their own pace. Students can also pay separately for private tutoring. Considered one of the best PSAT online prep courses, it takes just 15 hours for students to complete the program.
PrepScholar is one of the leading providers for online PSAT and SAT prep alike. Their official PSAT course comes with hundreds of hours worth of content with customizable learning plans. PrepScholar guarantees a 150+ point score increase on your PSAT — if you don’t improve by that margin, you will get your money back.
While it is not necessary for every student to prepare for the PSAT, it can help strong performers push their scores into the 99th percentile of their state, qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist round, and earn a shot at a $2,500 scholarship.
Princeton Review has long been one of the most popular test prep services and offers both in-person and online lessons and tutoring. Princeton Review’s PSAT Cram Course is an online program that includes practice tests, video lessons and drills, live online classroom instruction, and an online student portal. They separately offer one-on-one PSAT tutoring as well for a different price.
PSAT prep classes are not for everyone. If you don’t expect to score in the top 1% of your state’s test-takers, it may not make sense to spend hundreds of dollars on a PSAT prep course. Fortunately, prep courses are not your only option for PSAT preparation.
For one, the PSAT is essentially a gateway to doing well on the SAT. Because the primary aim of the PSAT is to prepare you for the SAT (hence its name, "Preliminary SAT"), the two tests share several similarities.
What you'll want to do is take one practice test at the beginning of your studies to get your baseline score (i.e., the score you start with). Then, follow Step 2 above to set a PSAT/SAT goal score. Once you've completed some PSAT prep, take another practice test to see whether you're closer to hitting your goal score.
As you may remember, the PSAT is very similar to the SAT, so if you’re at all familiar with the SAT format, know that the PSAT is strongly tied to it. The only major differences between the PSAT and SAT are that the PSAT: 1 contains fewer questions 2 lacks an essay component 3 is slightly easier
So a 1300 on the PSAT indicates the same level of ability as a 1300 on the SAT does.
Since the SAT is a more popular and ubiquitous test, you'll find that there are many more resources available for SAT prep than there are for PSAT prep. This means you’ll have a broader range of materials to choose from when studying for the SAT—from prep books and apps to questions and practice tests —than you will for the PSAT.
Lastly, PSAT test prep is essential if you’re hoping to qualify for National Merit. All juniors who take the PSAT are automatically entered into the National Merit Scholarship Program, which awards annual $2,500 scholarships to top scorers.
The reality is, PSAT prep can strongly benefit you, especially if you're hoping to nab a National Merit scholarship or get a high score on the SAT. In this article, we explain why PSAT prep is important and go over how to prepare for the PSAT using five simple steps.
SAT prep courses are a great way to learn new material and refresh yourself on old material. Some factors to consider might be your budget, learning style, and self-discipline. SAT prep courses will help identify strengths and weaknesses, simulate the actual test, and provide a study plan.
SAT prep courses will help students become more comfortable taking the SAT by offering strategies and test taking tips. The more comfortable a student is with the material and concepts, the better the student will do when taking the SAT. Determining your best approach to preparing for the SAT can be tough.
Magoosh offers one of the most affordable SAT prep courses available on the market. Their courses range from $100-$129 with the biggest difference being the amount of time student get access to the course.
ePrep is an online test prep company. ePrep offers different options of SAT prep to their students – express, standard, and premium. We will focus on the premium option. Premium comes with 6 full-length practice tests, 28 practice quizzes, 112 video lessons, WordSmith vocab builder, and a 250-point improvement guarantee. Student get access to the premium course for 6 months.
Prep Expert is our choice for most comprehensive SAT prep course. Every instructor teaching an SAT prep course with Prep Expert has scored in the top 1% of the SAT – you know you are getting the best of the best in terms of instructors.
Benefits of an SAT Prep Course. Score improvement – the top SAT prep courses will guarantee a score improvement of 100 points or more. Simulates actual test – the online exams included in an SAT prep course do a great job of simulating the real SAT.
Many undergraduate programs also use SAT scores to determine scholarships and academic financial aid. SAT prep courses are a great way for students to refresh their knowledge on multiple topics while also learning new material.