The New PSAT HPT100
What is the PSAT? • The PSAT is the Preliminary SAT. • The PSAT is offered once a year in October. • Over 3 million students take a PSAT every year. • There are three levels: • PSAT 8/9 • PSAT 10 • PSAT 11 (National Merit Qualifying Test: NMSQT). • Georgia 2018 NMSQT score: 1450 • The PSAT helps identify areas to improve on for the ACT or SAT.
Why take the PSAT? • To receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study. You can then focus your preparation on those areas that could most benefit from additional study or practice. • To see how your performance on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college. • To enter the competition for scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (grade 11). • To help prepare for the SAT. You can become familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions you will see on the SAT. • To receive information from colleges when you check "yes" to Student Search Service.
Admissions: Just How Competitive Is It? Total Total Percent University Applicants Accepted Accepted Colgate University 7,834 2,304 29% Harvard University 34,950 2,188 6% Vanderbilt 29,518 3,865 13% Emory University 17,796 4733 27% University of Georgia 20,877 11,644 56% University of Florida 26,513 11,400 43% University of Michigan 31,613 16,123 51% Kennesaw State University 11,309 6,703 54% Georgia State University 12,518 7,144 57% Look on college websites for acceptance rates for colleges you are interested in. Collegeboard.org 2016
PSAT timing • The Reading Test – 60 minutes, 47 questions • The Writing and Language Test – 35 minutes, 44 questions • Math Test, No Calculator Portion – 25 minutes, 17 questions • Math Test, Calculator Portion – 45 minutes, 31 questions • There is no essay on the PSAT • The PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 both have a total testing time of 2 hours and 45 minutes. There are no experimental sections or unscored questions on the PSAT.
PSAT Scoring • There is no penalty for wrong answers. • Don’t leave any question blank! Pick a letter before the test and use it if you don’t know an answer or run out of time. • Your combined Reading and Language score is your Reading score plus your Writing and Language score. – 160 to 360 total • Your total math score is your no calculator score plus you calculator score. – 160 to 360 total • Total scores: 320 to 1520 • No essay
Reading Test • The reading test focuses on critical reading skills that are needed to succeed in college. • The reading test evaluates your ability to you take in, think about, and use information. • It’s not about how well you memorize facts and definitions. • All reading test questions are multiple choice and based on passages. • Some passages are paired with other passages. • Informational graphics, such as tables, graphs, and charts, accompany some passages — but no math is required. • Prior topic-specific knowledge is never tested. • The Reading Test is part of the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section.
Reading Test Content • One passage from a classic or contemporary work of U.S. or world literature. • One passage or a pair of passages from either a U.S. founding document or a text in the Great Global Conversation they inspired. The U.S. Constitution or a speech by Nelson Mandela, for example. • A selection about economics, psychology, sociology, or some other social science. • Two science passages (or one passage and one passage pair) that examine foundational concepts and developments in Earth science, biology, chemistry, or physics.
Reading Test Question Types Words in Context • Many questions focus on important, widely used words and phrases that you’ll find in texts in many different subjects. The words are ones that you’ll use in college and the workplace long after test day. • Use context clues in a passage to figure out which meaning of a word or phrase is being used. • Decide how an author’s word choice shapes meaning, style, and tone. Command of Evidence • Command of evidence questions require you to prove your previous answer. • You to identify the portion of the text that provides the best evidence to support your previous answer. • Sometimes you will have to refer to graphs or tables in addition to the text. • These are tricky questions because if you missed the previous question you will most likely miss the command of evidence question.
Reading Test Question Types Main Idea • Main Idea questions require you to identify the point the passage is making. • Sometimes the main idea is apparent, but more often it is hidden or implied. • Remember that all of the details in a passage should relate to the main idea. Point of View • Point of view (POV) questions focus on feelings, not facts. • POV questions evaluate your understanding of the author’s perspective. • POV questions are very common in paired text passages. • Like main idea questions, it is very unlikely that a POV answer come directly from the text.
Reading Test Question Types Fact Fact questions ask about important details in the passage. • The facts may be found in graphs and tables as well as the text. • Fact questions can also ask which detail is NOT in the passage. • • Often fact questions have line numbers but not always.
Reading Test Strategies You have about 1 ½ minutes per question. • Quickly read or skim the passage and determine the main idea. • Read the questions CAREFULLY. • • Select the BEST answer. Beware of answers that sound good, but are not the best answer. Remember that the best answer should relate to the main idea of the • passage.
Writing and Language Test • The writing and language test evaluates your ability to think like an author and your knowledge of grammar. • About 60% of the questions are grammar based; the remaining 40% of the questions evaluate critical reading skills. • Informational graphics, such as tables, graphs, and charts, accompany some passages — but no math is required. • All writing and language test questions are multiple choice and passage based. • Prior topic-specific knowledge is never tested. • The writing and language test is part of the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section.
Writing and Language Test Question Types • Usage/mechanics – Grammar – Punctuation – Verb tenses – Subject/verb agreement – Noun/pronoun agreement • Rhetorical skills – Based on critical reading skills – Sentence fragments – Ambiguity – Idioms – Word choice – Paragraph and sentence logic
Writing and Language Test Strategies • Read the passage. • Focus on the main idea. – This will help with strategy questions. – What paragraph should this sentence be placed in? – Which of the following is the best transition? • The shortest answer that is grammatically correct and does not change the meaning of the sentence is the best. • Stick to solid, fundamental grammar. • Don’t overthink!
Math Test • The writing and language test evaluates your mastery of math skills essential to be succeed in college. • There are two math sections – 20 questions in 25 minute no calculator (75 seconds per question) – 38 questions in 55 minute calculator (85 seconds per question) • Most math questions on both sections are multiple choice, however, each math section has student produced response questions which require you to grid in the answer. • Informational graphics, such as tables, graphs, and charts should be expected.
Math Test Calculator policy • You are not allowed to use any of the following items as a calculator: • Laptops or other computers, tablets, cell phones, or smartphones • Models that can access the Internet, have wireless, Bluetooth, cellular, audio/video recording and playing, camera, or any other smart phone type feature • Models that have typewriter-like keypad, pen-input, or stylus • Models that use electrical outlets, make noise, or have a paper tape • Calculator function on a mobile phone • In addition, the use of hardware peripherals such as a stylus with an approved calculator is not permitted. Some models with touch-screen capability are not permitted (e.g., Casio ClassPad).
Math Test Approved Calculators • TI-82 • TI-83/TI-83 Plus • TI-83 Plus Silver • TI-84 Plus/TI-84 Plus T • TI-84 Plus CE/TI-84 Plus CE-T • TI-84 Plus Silver • TI-84 Plus C Silver • TI-85 • TI-86 • TI-89 • TI-89 Titanium • TI-Nspire/TI-Nspire CX • TI-Nspire CAS/TI-Nspire CX CAS • TI-Nspire CM-C/TI-Nspire CM-C CAS • TI-Nspire CX-C CAS
Math Test • Heart of Algebra – Evaluating and solving algebraic equations – Linear equations – Systems of equations – Inequalities – Using formulas you have probably never seen before • Problem solving and data analysis – Ratio and proportion – Percentages – Charts, tables, and graphs – Simplifying expressions – Word problems – Absolute value – Direct and indirect variation – Radicals
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