<p>At the suggestion of another poster, I've taken this question out of a different thread and created one specific to it. </p>
<p>If a kid (mine) will take SAT II (US History) on Oct 4, then PSAT on Oct 15, which one should he study for the most? I'm thinking SAT II because he'd need a 30 point PSAT increase to get close to NMS in Maryland. And that's so dramatic, it's not likely.</p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p>First question. Yes. SAT Practice tests will help for the PSAT. The PSAT is a preliminary SAT, and the material is exactly the same- only two differences : The SAT is longer and divided differently and, the PSAT has no essay. Practice from SAT material, because, really, companies don't make a huge deal out of PSAT books, they make SAT & psat books.</p>
<p>I would be wary of resources. I always suggest using collegeboard materials only, but don't exhaust your supply of real SATs for the PSAT.</p>
<p>Other question. I would give priority to the SAT II. Its going to be something colleges ask for in admissions. The PSAT is not. The PSAT is useful when you are commended or a semifinalist, but as you said, improving 30 points or 300 SAT points might be hard. Another thing to consider. Students do have a natural progression in their math and english skills year after year. I know I went up nearly 40 points from sophomore to junior year, and I did not study.</p>
<p>What I would do, study thoroughly for the SAT II USH, and do a some practice for the PSAT with SAT materials- not too heavy, but don't let anything be a surprise on test day.</p>
<p>The tests used for PSATs are the exact same tests as SATs. There is no real difference.</p>
<p>Wait...do colleges see your PSAT score?</p>
<p>If you check that box, yes. That's why so many colleges send you junk mail. If you get a really high, national merit score, CB will give you a letter that allows you to request sending the score to two colleges.</p>
<p>Looks like you've gotten your basic answers already: The history subject test is the one that's likely to be seen by the schools your son actually applies to (unless you end up going the ACT route and do not send any SAT scores at all). Also, it's more of a content-based test, with actual facts, so reviewing is usually a good idea. If your son's time needs to be parceled out carefully (and whose doesn't), the subject test would be the place to put the greater proportion of the time.</p>
<p>The PSAT score is unlikely to be seen by the schools he applies to, even if it bumps him up into Semi-Finalist territory. They look at his SAT scores, not his PSATs (except the two you can opt to send to; see below).</p>
<p>That said, if your son kind of likes/doesn't mind doing practice tests, yes, the SAT practice will help him with the PSAT. It's the same test in the main, just shorter and without an essay. If practice testing makes him miserable, don't bother. Sounds as if he did pretty well on the sophomore practice PSAT, and you might be pleasantly surprised at how much just growing through another school year will do for his score, as akahmed noted.</p>
<p>BTW, Liist, it's not the admissions committees who see PSAT scores and send look books/promotional material/junk mail to students, so in that sense, colleges do not see PSAT scores. Students who score above the national cut-off for Commended do have the opportunity to send their PSAT scores to two colleges. (There are plenty of threads around offering different perspectives on whether and to what degree this is helpful.)</p>