With the SAT being redesigned in the spring of 2016, the College Board has made changes to its ‘College Readiness’ programmes that act as precursors to, and practice for, the SAT. The PSAT/NMSQT, which will be held worldwide in October, has been redesigned to mirror the changes in SAT and will provide students with excellent exposure. The PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) is an important step in helping students prepare for university. Research indicates that students who take the PSAT score significantly higher in SAT.
StructureIn terms of format, the redesigned PSAT is a multiple choice standardised assessment divided into two sections — math and evidence-based reading and writing. The latter will be split into different ‘tests’ — reading test and writing and language test. The exam duration will be 2 hours 45 minutes and scores will be on a scale of 320–1520. Unlike earlier, sub-scores will be provided for every test.
The redesigned PSAT will have a continued emphasis on reasoning, and a stronger focus on the knowledge and skills most important for college and career readiness. There will be greater emphasis on the meaning of words in extended contexts and on how word choice shapes meaning, tone, and impact.
A big change is that points won’t be deducted for incorrect answers, just like in the new SAT.
BenefitsThere are several benefits to taking the PSAT/NMSQT. Not only does it provide the most relevant practice for SAT, students also get a comprehensive score report as the result. This score report has a detailed skills analysis, helping students identify their strong and weak areas. Taking the PSAT also provides free access to online college and career planning resources through My College QuickStart, a portal run by the College Board. Since PSAT scores are not shared with universities, it’s a no-stress exam and coaching is not required for preparation. There are many free resources available to help students familiarise themselves with the redesigned PSAT. A complete practice test is available at https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-assessments/practice/practice-tests. Students can also use free SAT prep resources (due to the SAT’s close alignment with the PSAT/NMSQT) on Khan Academy’s website (www.khanacademy.org/sat).
Students can take the redesigned PSAT in Classes IX, X and XI. Many students also take the PSAT in consecutive years, since this offers them additional practice and helps them track improvement.
The 2015 redesigned PSAT will be held on October 14 or 28 by different schools and USIEF centres. Students should contact their school’s college guidance counsellor or PSAT coordinator for registration. If a student’s school is not administering the PSAT, students can contact USIEF (www.usief.org.in).
The writer is the Country Representative of The College Board in India.
