Understanding the New PSAT
Each year roughly 3.4 million high school students take the standardized, multiple-choice test known as the PSAT, the preliminary or practice version of the SAT college admissions test.
Designed to help you become familiar with the SAT testing structure and strategy, it’s also used as the qualifying exam for National Merit Scholarships. As a result, the exam is sometimes referred to by its full moniker, the PSAT/NMSQT (pre-SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test).
The College Board will release a new version of the SAT in March 2016. To prepare for this, it’s launching a redesigned PSAT in October 2015. The new PSAT will according to the College Board “focus on the things that evidence shows matter most for college and career readiness.”
To reduce confusion and boost student performance, the SAT and PSAT will have a defined structure and students and teachers will know in advance what is covered, making the exams “clearer and more open than any in the College Board’s history.”
The new PSAT continues to focus on these fundamental skills: Critical Reading, Math, Writing and Language.
There are eight pivotal changes, however, which can be summarized as follows:
- Vocabulary. Instead of struggling to memorize endless lists of random and obscure words, you’ll demonstrate your command of language by determining the meaning of words and phrases in context.
- Evidence. Throughout the exam, you’ll analyze, interpret and use information gleaned from text, graphics, tables, charts and graphs. In addition, you’ll be asked to assess content, determine if it’s logical and edit it to correct errors and improve clarity.
- Sources. The restructured essay portion emphasizes reading, analysis and writing. You’ll read select passages and analyze the author’s approach to evidence, reasoning and persuasion. The essay is optional, but it’s required by many schools and colleges.
- Math. To reflect how math is used in college and careers, this portion emphasizes data literacy and abstract reasoning. You’ll focus on problem solving, data analysis, the essentials of algebra and fundamentals related to advanced math like trigonometry.
- Problem-solving. Throughout the exam, you’ll analyze, interpret and correct written content and data presented in graphs, tables and charts. You’ll also tackle multistep problems related to science, social science and careers.
- Synthesis. Throughout the exam, you’ll read for content, analyze and correct text and data summaries, synthesize information and use acquired information to solve problems.
- Foundational documents. To connect to “the global conversation,” you’ll read, analyze and interpret US foundational documents (Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, Federalist Papers, etc.) and a broad array of essays and speeches on issues like freedom and justice.
- No penalties. In the past, incorrect answers were penalized but now only correct answers are scored.
The overall score reporting strategy has also changed, which is significant. For the first time, every test in the lineup (PSAT 8-9, PSAT 10, PSAT/NMSQT and SAT) will be scored on the same scale. This makes the entire testing process more meaningful and less confusing, and it allows students, parents and teachers to more readily assess growing academic achievement and identify areas for improvement.