PSAT PREP

The PSAT 8/9 is a rigorous exam administered by the College Board, an independent testing organization. The PSAT 8/9 is intended for 8th and 9th grade students. The College Board also administers the PSAT 10 for high school sophomores and the SAT for college seniors. All versions of the PSAT and SAT share a similar format and test students’ reading, writing, and math skills, however the content and difficulty is targeted to the relevant grade level.

Students will do better on the PSAT 8/9 with preparation. The degree of preparation needed depends on the student, their aptitude for standardized tests, their academic achievement in math and ELA, and their goals. The math portion of the test includes some 9th grade level equations that most students will not yet have encountered early in 8th grade. Many students will benefit by studying to reinforce and extend their math skills if they are aiming for a high math score. The reading and writing portion of the test is often neglected but has more questions and requires more time than the math portion. Reading and writing is harder to study for because students benefit most from reading comprehension skills that develop with time spent reading high quality books and other complex texts. However, many students will benefit from practicing the kinds of questions that are used on the test and understanding strategies that can help them avoid traps and zero in on correct answers.

There are many options to help students prepare, ranging from free to expensive, light touch to time consuming. Some students are able to prepare independently with easily available resources and diligent self-pacing. Some public schools also offer free PSAT 8/9 support at the beginning of the 8th grade school year—check with your principal or school counselor.

Note: if you are preparing independently, make sure your student is preparing for the PSAT 8/9 and not one of the more advanced tests (PSAT 10 or SAT).