4 Best PSAT Test Prep Tips
Whether you're taking the PSAT as a freshman or sophomore to get a baseline score, or as a junior to qualify for National Merit recognition, these proven strategies will help you prepare effectively.
Why the PSAT matters: For 9th and 10th graders, the PSAT provides valuable baseline scores and helps you gauge your readiness for the SAT. For juniors, strong PSAT performance can qualify you for National Merit Scholarship recognition, which can lead to college scholarships and make you stand out on applications. The best part? The concepts and strategies you learn for the PSAT directly apply to the SAT.
Gather Your Materials and Team
Remember that you don't have to prepare for the PSAT alone. There's plenty of support available—teachers, tutors, prep classes, study groups, and Study Share's comprehensive resources. Start by reviewing Study Share's PSAT practice tests to get familiar with question types and difficulty levels.
Building Your Study Plan:
- Be honest about your needs: Some students are self-motivated and can study independently, while others benefit from structured guidance. Assess your learning style honestly.
- Consider a study group: If you're somewhere in between, form a prep group with friends who meet regularly to keep each other accountable and on track.
- Mix approaches: You might combine independent study with occasional tutoring sessions or prep classes, depending on your needs and budget.
- Use Study Share materials: Start with Study Share's comprehensive PSAT practice tests and study guides. Our platform provides everything you need to prepare effectively.
Study Share resources: Access our comprehensive PSAT practice materials covering all sections. Our platform offers detailed explanations and progress tracking to help you improve efficiently.
Work on Your Foundation
This might seem obvious, but it's one of the most overlooked PSAT prep tips. The PSAT tests knowledge you've already learned in school, so reviewing your old class notes from math, reading, and English classes can be incredibly helpful.
Foundation-Building Strategies:
Spend Time Reading
One of the most effective ways to improve vocabulary and reading comprehension is simply to read more. Choose materials that interest you—whether that's novels, magazines, news articles, or online content. The more you read outside of assigned schoolwork, the better your reading skills will become.
Practice Speed Reading Skills
Work on techniques to increase your reading speed while maintaining comprehension. Practice scanning, using your finger to guide your eyes, and focusing on keywords. Experiment with underlining, circling, and jotting quick notes to see what helps you understand and retain information best. Finding what works for you will improve your timing on the actual test.
Improve Vocabulary by Learning Greek and Latin Roots
This is a huge time-saver! A significant portion of English words come from Greek and Latin roots. Once you learn common roots, you can often deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words. For example, knowing that "amic" is the Latin root for "friend" helps you understand that "amicable" means friendly. This approach is much more efficient than memorizing individual vocabulary words.
Build Your Skills With Practice
The most effective way to prepare for the PSAT is through consistent, realistic practice. The goal is to get comfortable with the testing style, question formats, and timing. When you take practice tests, simulate the actual testing environment as closely as possible.
Effective Practice Strategies:
- Print the test: Even though the actual PSAT is digital, taking a printed practice test can help you focus better and allows you to make notes directly on the paper. There's a difference in how your brain processes information on paper versus screen.
- Use a bubble sheet: Practice filling in answer bubbles to get comfortable with the format and avoid mistakes on test day.
- Time yourself accurately: Use the exact same time limits you'll have on the actual test for each section. This helps you develop a realistic sense of pacing.
- Complete it in one sitting: Try to take the full practice test in one session to build stamina and get a true sense of how you'll perform on test day.
Remember: Any practice you do for the PSAT directly prepares you for the SAT, since the tests are nearly identical. The SAT is just slightly longer and a bit more challenging.
Add the Finishing Touches: Tips and Tricks
Beyond knowing the content, there are proven test-taking strategies that can help you maximize your score. These techniques go beyond your knowledge of concepts and can make a significant difference in your performance.
Proven Test-Taking Strategies:
Prioritize the Easy Questions
As you work through the test, focus on answering questions that are easiest or quickest for you first, even if that means skipping around. Since all questions carry equal weight, you want to secure points on questions you can answer confidently before spending time on difficult ones. After you've answered all the easier questions, go back and tackle the ones you skipped.
Read Questions and Answers Very Carefully
Part of the PSAT challenge is understanding exactly what the test is asking. Sometimes overlooking a single word in a question can lead you down the wrong path. Make sure you know precisely what each question is asking—read it multiple times if necessary. Do the same with answer choices! They often contain truthful elements but include a single word or phrase that makes the entire answer incorrect.
Don't Make Random Guesses
If you need to guess on a question, use the same letter choice consistently every time you guess. Statistically, each answer choice appears roughly the same number of times across the test. By sticking with one letter (like always guessing "C"), you're more likely to get some guesses right than if you guess randomly across different letters.
Ready to Start Your PSAT Prep?
Preparing effectively for the PSAT involves gathering the right materials and support, building a strong foundation, practicing consistently, and using proven test-taking strategies. These four tips will help you bring your best performance to the PSAT and set you up for success on the SAT.