PSAT Articles

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Every correct answer you bubble on your PSAT/NMSQT earns exactly one point, whether the question is super easy or horrendously hard. Your goal is to harvest the maximum number of points from a large field of questions — within the time limit! To do so, you need a strategy. Check out these tips, which explain what to skip and what to answer. What you shouldn’t skip: Grid-ins: You lose no points for wrong answers, so take a stab at all of them. Vocabulary-in-context: These are usually the easiest passage-based questions. Try them all! Questions with three possible correct answer choices: You lose no points for a skipped answer but a quarter point for a wrong answer. If you can eliminate two or more wrong choices, guess! Your chances of gaining a full point are better than your chances of losing a quarter point. Questions at the beginning of a section: Except for passage-based questions in reading and paragraph improvement, the questions go from easy to medium to difficult. Try for everything on the easy end of a section, even if you skip some later questions. Introductory material for reading passages: Sometimes knowing the author or type of material helps you choose an answer. What you should skip: General directions: You should know the directions ahead of time. Questions with vocabulary you don’t know: If every answer choice puzzles you, cut your losses and move on. Questions at the end of a section, except for passage-based questions: Because the questions get tougher toward the end of a section, the last few in a section may stump you. If you can’t eliminate any answer choices, leave a blank. (If you can cross off an answer or two, guess.)

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Test-writers aren’t explorers; they don’t like moving into new territory. Sad for them (they’re probably bored!), but good for you, because after you know where test-writers are comfortable, you can focus on those areas. Here’s a map to the questions and topics likely to show up on the PSAT/NMSQT. Things to look for in writing questions: Verbs: tense, agreement (singular or plural forms) Pronouns: case (they or them or their and so forth), agreement (singular or plural), logical and clear meaning Sentences: completeness (no fragments or run-ons), parallel structure (elements with the same role in the sentence have the same grammatical identity), proper punctuation Descriptions: clear, close to the word described Comparisons: logical and complete Nonstandard expressions: no slang — proper English only! Logical structure (in paragraph-improvement questions): unified paragraphs, logical movement from one idea to another, good introduction and conclusion, specific instead of vague, general statements Helpful hints for critical reading questions: Sentence completions: Underline key words. Mentally insert your own word into the blank and look for a match in the answer choices. Check both blanks of a two-blank question before settling on an answer. Passage-based questions: Skim the introductory material and question stems. Read the passage, jotting notes in the margin and underlining key points. Answer the questions. Techniques to remember for mathematics questions: Use your calculator for basic operations (adding, dividing, square roots, and so forth), but don’t forget to apply logic and formulas as needed to determine an answer. Sketch diagrams for geometry, time/rate/distance, and other problems. Grid-in decimals or fractions but not mixed numbers (3-1/2 will be read as 31/2). Don’t round off an answer (bubble .338, not .34). Plug in a number to check your logic. For example, in a percent problem about a sale price, plug in $100 for the original price and work from there. Ballpark the answer by thinking about what may be a reasonable answer. Then check the answer you came up with by working on the problem. If your answer is out of the ballpark, recheck. For example, if you ballpark a 10% discount and calculate a 90% discount, something may be wrong. Back-solve by inserting answer choices into the question, starting with Choice (C). Move to a smaller or larger answer choice depending on the results of that calculation. Use the process of elimination to cross off obviously wrong answers.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

To be successful on the PSAT/NMSQT — or any test — it’s essential to be prepared. That means studying the subject matter and doing practice problems, of course, but it also means arriving on test day ready to go, mentally and physically, with everything you need in hand. The exam is stressful enough; don’t compound your stress by being unprepared! The night before the test, gather everything you need: Accommodations letter (if you have one) Approved calculator Number two pencils with erasers Photo ID (optional, but a good idea) School code number (if you’re not taking the test at your own school) Social Security number and e-mail address (optional) Watch Know the route to the testing center. Get a good night’s sleep. Eat breakfast. The night before and the morning of the exam, don’t talk to friends about the test. Stretch out your muscles if you feel tense.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

If the words on the PSAT/NMSQT were baseball players, a fair number of them would be in the Major Leagues, and a few would be all-stars. Your best bet is to accumulate (gather) and know the definitions of a large fund of PSAT/NMSQT favorites. No matter how many words you know, however, chances are you’ll still run into a few strangers when you take the test. You should apply the guessing rules, of course. But if you have time, you may be able to crack open the meaning of an unfamiliar word by analyzing its parts. Try these techniques: Look for a similar word. You know that mistake means “to do something wrong.” You can probably figure out that misdiagnosis refers to a doctor’s errors and that to mischaracterize is “to give a faulty description or impression.” (Characterize means “to describe, to list the qualities of.”) Apply your knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, and roots. In whatever time you have before the exam, memorize a few common prefixes (letters or syllables at the beginning of a word), suffixes (letters or syllables at the end of a word), and roots (the middle!). For example, anti is a prefix meaning “against,” and path is a root meaning “feeling.” Knowing these facts, you can figure out the definition of antipathy (strong feeling against someone or something). Bonus: If you see apathy on the exam, you may conclude, correctly, that the word has something to do with feeling, even without knowing that the prefix a means “without or not.” Apathy means “without feeling or caring.” Because so much of English comes from Greek and Latin, you can find lists of word parts derived (originating) from those languages. A quick search on the Internet turns up plenty of great reference sites. Don’t attempt to memorize a huge list; aiming for a thousand word parts is likely to result in confusion. Instead, pick a realistic number and glue them to your brain. Take note of prefixes, suffixes, and roots in Questions 1 through 3. Although the most efficient design for that instrument resembles a dentist’s drill, customers prefer _____ robots, probably because people look for reflections of themselves. (A) anthropomorphic (B) temperate (C) idyllic (D) philanthropic (E) prolific The new dam _____ water from its natural path, to the dismay of farmers who depend on the river to irrigate their crops. (A) converts (B) diverts (C) separates (D) disburses (E) allocates The nation welcomed _____ aid but denied entry to weapons inspectors. (A) unselfish (B) geocentric (C) alternative (D) cautionary (E) humanitarian Now check your answers: A. anthropomorphic The root anthrop refers to human beings, so Choices (A) and (D) are possibilities. The prefix phil, however, means “loving.” The definition of philanthropic is “loving humankind” and is generally applied to those who donate or work for good causes. Choice (A) is a better answer because another root contained in the word, morph, means “form or shape.” Therefore, anthropomorphic means “shaped like a human being.” B. diverts The root vert means “turn.” Choices (A) and (B) are possible at first glance because the river has been moved away from where it used to flow. Now look at the prefixes: con means “with,” and di means “apart, in different directions.” Clearly, Choice (B) is better because the river has been turned in a different direction. Two more things to add to your vocabulary file: burse is an old word for purse, where you carry money and valuable things. To disburse is “to pay out” (and the bursar is the college official who’ll collect your money someday). The root loc means “place”; you see it in locate, location, and Choice (E) allocate, which means “to set something aside — in a place! — for a specific purpose.” E. humanitarian You don’t have to be a mega-brain to realize that humanitarian refers to human beings. The word itself may be defined as “concerned with saving human lives” and works perfectly in this sentence. Were you fooled by Choice (B)? The prefix geo means “earth,” and the root centr is “centered.” There you go: geocentric means “centered on the earth.”

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

It’s too late to devise (plan, invent) a guessing strategy when you’re taking the PSAT/NMSQT. So do it now, get comfortable with it, and follow your strategy faithfully. Here are the essential facts: Many test-takers don’t have enough time to answer every question. The PSAT/NMSQT gives you one point for every correct answer. You receive no points for questions you leave blank. You lose a quarter point for every wrong answer to a multiple-choice question. You lose no points for an incorrect grid-in response. With these facts in mind, your strategy is clear: Answer all the questions you know. As you work through a section, some questions pop up, wave their hands, and scream, “Answer me! You know me! I’m your friend!” Be sure to pace yourself so that you garner (gather) all those points. Mark any questions that stump you. In the margin, circle the question number or write a check mark () or some other symbol. Consider using two check marks () or a special symbol for extra-tough questions. If you have time, return to the questions you skipped. Avoid the really hard questions unless you’re well supplied with extra minutes. Eliminate any multiple-choice options that are clearly wrong. Think of this step as a process of elimination. Guess if you’ve eliminated one or more choices. Do the math: If you cross off one multiple-choice answer, you have four left, which gives you a one-in-four chance of guessing correctly. Because you lose a quarter point for a wrong answer, you have even odds of guessing correctly. If you can eliminate two answers, your odds of guessing correctly are better still. Don’t skip grid-ins. Because you don’t lose points for incorrect grid-in answers, try to answer every one of them, unless you’re totally clueless about the problem and you need extra minutes for questions you may know something about. Based on statistical evidence — how average test-takers do on a particular question — the test-makers place sentence completions, writing, and math questions in order of difficulty. (The critical reading passage-based questions are different; there, the questions follow the order of the passage itself.) In the order-of-difficulty sections, the easier stuff is at the beginning, so you should try to answer everything that shows up early in a section — the first ten questions, perhaps. That said, everyone’s mind works differently. You may find Question 24 painless but be stumped by Question 12. If you think you know an answer, bubble it in. But if you see something confusing at the end of a section and you’re running out of time, you may do better if you return to the beginning of the section and fill in answers you skipped the first time through rather than grapple with a super-tough problem you’re less likely to answer correctly.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Every sentence-completion question on the PSAT/NMSQT can be answered with the information that’s right there, in the sentence. Nevertheless, sometimes your experience in the real world gives you a little extra help. Suppose you see this sentence: Relying on _____ answers, Molly truthfully answered her mother’s questions about the broken window and yet escaped without punishment. You may not know Molly, but you probably know what happens when a child tries to avoid being grounded while submitting to her mom’s interrogation (questioning). Apart from lying, the most effective method is to give answers that may be interpreted more than one way. For example, Molly’s mom may have asked, “Did you see who broke the window?” Molly can truthfully say no, unless she was looking in a mirror when she practiced her curve ball. So if one of the answer choices is vague or evasive (intentionally unclear), your life experience takes you to the correct response. The real world takes you only so far on the PSAT/NMSQT. No matter what your experience, look at each sentence very carefully. The clues are there. Your job is to find the answer choice that best matches them. Try your hand at applying real-life experience as you answer Questions 1 and 2: _____ the atmosphere of the library, Oliver’s voice was _____ in the farthest corner of the room. (A) Enhancing . . . distinguishable (B) Compounding . . . faint (C) Complementing . . . undefined (D) Disturbing . . . audible (E) Irritating . . . unnecessary Because neither Jean nor her opponents were willing to _____ that point, the discussion continued for several more hours. (A) recede (B) concede (C) combat (D) convey (E) communicate Now check your answers: D. Disturbing . . . audible Libraries are usually quiet, so start with that assumption. The first blank probably refers to something that either keeps the atmosphere the same or ruins it. Now look at the pairs. If Oliver’s voice was audible, everyone could hear him, so he was disturbing the atmosphere. B. concede Have you ever attended a meeting or family gathering with opposing sides? You know, then, that one way to end the discussion is compromise (each side giving in a little until the middle ground is reached). Another way to get out of the meeting before everyone’s hair turns gray is for one of the sides to give in. The answer choices don’t provide a synonym for compromise, but you do see concede (reluctantly accept an idea or proposal). Vocab time: recede means to move backward physically, so that answer doesn’t work in this sentence. Convey, in this context, is a synonym for Choice (E), communicate.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Most students in a traditional, four-year high school take the PSAT/NMSQT in their third year, as juniors. An increasing number of students opt for (choose) an earlier exam, as sophomores or even younger students. Taking the test early can be helpful because you’ll probably improve your scores on subsequent (later) exams. If you’re in a nontraditional high-school program, take some time to think about what’s best for you. In a three-year high school, you can take the exam in the October preceding your graduation, followed by the SAT in December or January. If you’re likely to spend five years in high school, go for the second-to-last October for the PSAT/NMSQT and the SAT in the autumn or winter of your last year before graduation. Home-schoolers, use these guidelines and work backward from the date you expect to complete the high-school curriculum. If you’re vying (competing) for a National Merit or National Achievement Scholarship, you may not be eligible for an award if you take the exam at the wrong time. The exam is offered only in mid- to late October, on either a Wednesday or a Saturday of the same week. Each school offering the PSAT/NMSQT chooses one of those two days. You sign up through your high school in early September and pay your fee. Take this opportunity to pick up a student guide — a booklet from the College Board describing the exam. You can also find a downloadable student bulletin on the College Board’s website. Click the PSAT/NMSQT button at the top of the screen. The College Board charges about $14 for each PSAT/NMSQT given in the United States, but schools may tack on a couple of bucks to cover administrative costs, and the College Board adds a few dollars for overseas exams. Your school can request fee waivers (a free test) for any junior in financial need. If you’re in that category, talk to your school officials as soon as possible — ideally, during the spring preceding the test. Many schools order exams for every 11th grader, but just to be sure you’re on the list, check with a school official. If you plan to take the exam in 9th or 10th grade, inform your school by the end of the school year before the test, if possible. If your high school doesn’t offer the test or if you’re home-schooled, call a local school. Still can’t find a testing center? Check the College Board website or call the College Board (609-771-7070) for the names of schools near you that offer the exam. Don’t wait! Some schools offer test spots to guests, but many have limited seating and operate on a first-come, first-served basis. By mid-September of the year you want to take the test, you should know where you’re going on test day.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Each critical reading section of the PSAT/NMSQT leads off with sentence completions, eight in Section 1 and five in Section 3. Sentence-completion questions come in two varieties: one blank and two blanks. The test-writers give you a sentence with — you guessed it! — one or two blanks, and you have to choose words to fill those blanks from five multiple-choice answers. The sentences contain clues to help you figure out what’s missing. Sentences with complicated syntax (grammatical structure) often feature simple words, as in this example: The governor decided to keep the restrictions in place but also agreed to open the hearings to those who had _____ them. (A) supported (B) considered (C) opposed (D) approved (E) judged The answer is Choice (C). The word but signals a change in direction, so you know that the second action in the sentence has to contrast with the first, to keep the restrictions in place. What contrasts with keeping the status quo (existing condition, things as they are)? Listening to views from those who had opposed the restrictions. There you go: Choice (C) is the answer. Two-blank sentences may have an even more intricate (complex) syntax. Check out this example: Although he was not _____ by nature, Stan couldn’t resist making _____ comments about the reviewer, who was less than pleased with Stan’s new play. (A) unfeeling . . . positive (B) charitable . . . unfavorable (C) cruel . . . favorable (D) generous . . . critical (E) unkind . . . sarcastic The answer is Choice (E). The answer choices are common words, and you probably use all of them in everyday conversation. The sentence, however, has a few twists and turns. You start with although, a word that signals something happening despite another action or condition. Then you hit a negative statement: talking about what’s not in Stan’s nature. Next up is another negative: Stan couldn’t resist, which tells you that you’re looking for something Stan actually did after he read a review of his play. Another complication: The reviewer was less than pleased, as in, he hated the play. If you follow each of these clues, you know that you have to figure out Stan’s nature and an action that goes against that nature. Choice (E) fits perfectly. Stan wasn’t unkind. Therefore, you’d expect him to be kind to the reviewer. However, Stan gave in to temptation and wrote sarcastic comments. Not all two-blank questions are more difficult than single-blank sentences. Don’t skip a question without reading it! Some two-blank sentences are actually easier because they’re long enough to provide several clues. Sentences with high-level vocabulary words tend to be written in a straightforward manner, like this one: After she had eaten the last doughnut, Eve hurried to the grocery to _____ her supply of snacks before the children returned from school. (A) deplete (B) replenish (C) confiscate (D) retain (E) depreciate The answer is Choice (B). The meaning of the sentence is simple: Eve pigged out, and her kids will starve to death if she doesn’t restock. The answer choices, though, are tough. Choice (A), deplete, means “reduce.” Choice (B), replenish, means “restock.” Choice (C), Confiscate, means “to take someone’s property with authority.” Choice (D), retain, means “keep,” and Choice (E), depreciate, means “decrease in value.” If your vocabulary is up to the task, the answer is clear: Choice (B). Of course, not every sentence on the PSAT/NMSQT fits these patterns perfectly. Sometimes the test-writers hit you with double trouble: a complicated sentence with vocabulary that only dictionary fans know. You may also find medium-level vocabulary and slightly complicated syntax. Luckily, you don’t have to categorize the questions; you just have to answer them.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

If you qualify for accommodations in your school exams, you may be eligible for accommodations on the PSAT/NMSQT also, such as large type or Braille exams, extended time (50 percent or 100 percent more than the usual amount), a reader for the questions or a writer to record your answers, extra breaks, and other adjustments that allow all students a fair shot at showing what they know. Your school may apply for accommodations for you, or you can apply yourself. If your school is doing all the work, alert the person in charge of testing — usually your guidance counselor, the college counseling office, or the principal — that you’re planning to take the test. Ask about forms you must fill out. You have to supply a consent form signed by a parent or guardian; the school needs permission before releasing any information about you to the College Board. If you’re doing all the work, download a Student Eligibility Form from the College Board’s website or call the College Board’s Services for Students with Disabilities to request one (609-771-7137). You may be asked for documentation (a form filled out by a doctor, for example). The College Board will probably ask for information about you from your school also. If you’ve qualified for accommodations on any College Board test (an AP, for example), you may not have to reapply. Check with your school or call 609-771-7137 for more information. Certifying that you need accommodations takes time — at least seven weeks. Don’t procrastinate (delay). If you break your wrist or suffer anything that the College Board calls a “temporary medical condition,” talk to a school official or call the College Board right away. You may be granted extra time (so you can bubble answers using your non-dominant hand — your left hand if you’re a righty, and vice versa) or some other help. However, it’s just as likely that the College Board will say, “Better luck next year,” written in more polite and official language, of course. If you’re granted accommodations, the College Board sends you an eligibility letter and informs the school. It also assigns you an SSD eligibility code that you’ll need on the exam. Bring the eligibility letter with you to the test. My general approach to life is “whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.” Even though the school where you’re taking the exam should receive notification about your accommodations and prepare accordingly, it never hurts to check ahead of time. Bring a copy of your eligibility letter to the school administrator to be sure that everything is in place for you.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Simply showing up on test day isn’t enough to do well on the PSAT/NMSQT. You also need to know what to expect. You also need to show up in good shape — calm and ready to take the exam. What to bring with you The PSAT/NMSQT rules are quite strict and don’t allow you to bring much with you to the test. You have to leave your book bag, snack, favorite stuffed animal, and tons of other things in your locker or in a designated area. You should have these items with you: A couple of number two pencils and at least one good eraser: Don’t go crazy with the sharpener. You don’t want the pencil point to break the minute you put pressure on it! Also, be sure the eraser is clean — no initials, “I love Herman,” or anything else. A watch, in case you can’t see the room clock: The watch can’t have a timer and it must be quiet. If it beeps, the proctor is allowed to throw you out. An approved calculator: You don’t absolutely have to have a calculator, but sometimes it speeds you through a math problem. Your eligibility letter, if you have one: If you’ve been granted accommodations for special needs, bring the letter saying so. Photo ID and school code: You don’t actually need a photo ID, but if you’re taking the exam in a school you don’t attend, having a photo ID is a good idea. Similarly, the proctor announces only the code of the school where the exam is given. If you’re in alien territory, you should know your school’s number, which you must bubble in on the answer sheet. If you don’t, your scores will be reported to the testing site. True, you can call or stop by to retrieve them, but when you enter your own school’s code, your scores are sent there. Home-schoolers have their own code. Before test day, check the College Board website or student guide and memorize the number. Your scores and test booklets will be sent to your home address. E-mail address: This is also optional, but useful. The College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation may send you information by e-mail if you write your address on the answer sheet. Your Social Security number or student ID number: These numbers are optional, but they may come in handy. One spot on the answer sheet asks for your student ID number (if your school uses such a system). If you don’t have an ID number, you can substitute your Social Security number. These numbers facilitate (make easier) the return of your question booklet after the exam has been scored. Getting your booklet back is important because you can prepare for the SAT by analyzing your PSAT/NMSQT work (for example, calculations you did next to a math problem). What to do when you get there Turn around and run away. Just kidding! You’re prepped and ready, so stride (walk with long, quick steps) into the school with confidence. Here’s what you do next: Dump everything you aren’t allowed to have with you. If you’re taking the exam at your own high school, drop your stuff into your locker. If you’re in an unfamiliar school, ask where you can leave extra items. To minimize opportunities to cheat, the College Board bans pretty much everything but the items listed here. On test day, travel light! Also, remember to turn off your phone. If it’s in a book bag under your desk when Uncle George calls to wish you luck, the proctor won’t be amused. You’ll be booted from the room and your scores will be canceled. Go to the test room. The proctor will probably keep everyone in the hall until it’s time to begin. Unless the proctor knows you, you may have to show some identification on the way in. Try to find a quiet spot, and stay away from anyone talking about the test. In fact, make a pact with your friends to avoid the subject. Why? Because inevitably (surely) you’ll hear a comment that will fire up your nervous system, such as, “I hear 90 percent of the math section is advanced geometry,” or, “I memorized two thirds of the dictionary.” First, some of the comments you hear are wrong. (Only 25 to 30 percent of the math is geometry, and much of it is easy.) Second, it doesn’t matter what anyone else has done to prepare. You’re doing exactly what you need to do, right now — learning about the test and practicing for it. Follow the proctor’s directions. In some schools, you fill out the identification part of the answer sheet a day or so before the test. (Great idea! You save a half hour on test day.) In most schools, on the morning of the exam you bubble in your name, address, and other information. Listen carefully to the proctor, and don’t jump ahead. You may also choose to answer some optional questions about race, religion, possible college major, and so forth. This information is sent, only with your permission, to colleges interested in contacting prospective students. For example, a school affiliated (closely or officially connected) with a particular religion may send information to test-takers of the same faith. Don’t skip Sections 13 and 14 of the answer sheet if you want to be considered for a National Merit Scholarship or a National Achievement Scholarship. Start the test. Of course, you turn to a section only when the proctor announces that you should do so. During the five-minute break between Sections 2 and 3, stretch your muscles, roll your neck around, and think happy thoughts. If you need to use the restroom, ask the proctor. And smile: You’re almost done! As you exit the exam room, clear your mind of everything related to the PSAT/NMSQT. Remember that you aren’t allowed to talk, tweet, or communicate anything about the questions. (That’s one of the promises you make when you sign your name.) Plus, you can’t do anything about the results until you see your scores in December. At that point you can make a battle plan for the SAT, or, if you plan to take the PSAT/NMSQT again, for that test.