The Reading section is a 60-minute, passage-based reading assessment. It features five passages, each followed by 9-10 questions. The passages cover a range of subjects, from literature and sociology to science and argumentation. It helps to think of the Reading section as an open-book, open-notes exam: it’s the only section for which the answers to every question are on the page in front of the test-taker.

The Writing section is a 35-minute, passage-based grammar assessment. It consists of four passages on subjects drawn from the arts and humanities, science, and history and is designed to test students on 15-20 formal grammar rules. Each passage contains underlined words or phrases for test-takers to correct from a set of alternatives. Approximately 25% of the questions are phrased correctly, in which case the right multiple-choice answer is to leave the underlined portion unchanged.

The Math (No Calculator) section features 17 questions, of which the first 14 are in a multiple-choice format and the final three are in a grid-in (numeric entry) format. The math focuses largely on algebra, with a little geometry thrown in for good measure.  Questions go from easy to hard by question type: the first multiple choice question is easy, for example, as is the first grid-in question. 

The Math (With Calculator) section is the longest portion of the test, featuring 31 questions that must be completed in 45 minutes. The first 27 questions are in a multiple-choice format that run from easy to hard, followed by four grid-in questions that also run from easy to hard. For the “With Calculator” section, students are permitted to use a wide range of calculators, including graphing calculators (up to a TI-84 CE). 

When is the PSAT offered?

Traditionally, the PSAT is offered either on a Wednesday or Saturday in the middle of October (halfway between the October and November SAT test dates in the fall). Schools will determine if they will administer the exam on Wednesday or Saturday. 

This year, the PSAT will be administered on Wednesday, October 13 and Saturday, October 16. There is also an alternate PSAT test date set for Tuesday, October 26, 2021, if a school is not able to administer the exam on the earlier dates. Check your school’s calendar to see when your school will be offering the exam. 

All standard-time tests run in the morning and typically finish before noon. 

How is the PSAT Scored? 

The PSAT has two main scoring components: the combined Reading + Writing sections and the Mathematics sections. The Reading + Writing and Mathematics sections are respectively scored on a scale from 160-760 in 10-point increments. The composite scoring scale runs from 320-1520. 

If you are familiar with the more conventional SAT scoring scales (200-800 points for the respective sections; 400-1600 points for the total composite score), you’ll notice that the PSAT scoring scale has the same relative range of values, shifted down the number line. As such, a perfect PSAT score (1520) does not quite correlate with a perfect SAT (1600), though PSAT scores may be used to give a “preview” of a student’s SAT performance if that student takes the PSAT in the latter part of high school. 

Average PSAT scores will vary based on the grade level of the student taking the exam and, to a minimal degree, on the year in which the student takes the exam; in some years, the test may prove harder for students on average than in other years. 

When does a student receive their PSAT Scores? 

Test-takers typically receive their PSAT scores in mid-December, almost two months after their test day. There are a number of reasons that score reporting takes so long, including the fact that a huge number of students from eighth through eleventh grade take the PSAT, all at roughly the same time. 

Your PSAT score report will include your scaled PSAT scores, as well as your NMSQT scaled scoring index result, which will determine if you qualify for the initial phases of the National Merit Scholarship Program. Your score report will also have a full readout of the questions you answered correctly and incorrectly, how difficult those questions were, and what the questions themselves were focused on. You will receive a copy of the PSAT test separately as well. 

Are my PSAT scores meaningful? How can I use them?

The PSAT can be useful in a few ways, though it is worth noting that the PSAT itself is like a very (very) formal practice test. At the very least, it will give you a sense of the SAT’s style and structure, the general focus of that exam, and whether or not you may want to take the SAT in the future. 

As mentioned above, PSAT scores can also offer a projection of relative performance on the SAT, though it is worth noting that the PSAT itself is shorter and easier than the SAT. So, if you do plan on taking the SAT, definitely study for that exam regardless of how well you performed on the PSAT. 

You can sync your PSAT score report—and your College Board account—with Khan Academy to generate a self-paced SAT study plan, depending on your hopes and goals for the latter test. 

Should I study for the PSAT? 

That depends. If you are in the eighth, ninth, or tenth grades, it is probably not worthwhile to study for the PSAT, except insofar as you may want to review the exam’s structure, question types, and length. 

If you are a junior who is a particularly strong test-taker and who did well on the PSAT in tenth grade), it may be worth it to study for the PSAT for two primary reasons: first, your preparation for the PSAT will lay a foundation for studying for the SAT, and second, if you do well enough on the PSAT, the test’s scoring index may qualify you for merit scholarships (discussed below). 

What is the National Merit Scholarship Program? 

On a state-by-state basis, students who score in the very top percentage of all scores on the PSAT will qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program, which may help defray the costs of college. There are a number of components to the National Merit Scholarship Program, of which the PSAT is only the first stage. 

Should I take the PSAT? 

Taking the PSAT is a high-reward, low-risk activity. It will not negatively impact your college admissions or testing process, and it may provide you with some useful information about these kinds of exams and how to prepare for college admissions tests going forward. 

Is there anything else I should know?



Don’t stress about the PSAT, but if you are going to take it, get some rest the night before the exam. Have a healthy dinner that night. Wake up the next morning early enough to be a human being and go through your normal routine. Bring water and snacks to school for the test itself. And, after the test is done, go relax! You’ve earned it.