Hey, I’m a freshman at HS, and I was wondering whether or not I should start studying for the SAT or upcoming PSATs? At my school, next year as a sophomore I take the PSAT 10, and then junior year I take PSAT NMSQT along with the SAT towards the near end of junior year. I wanted to know if I should start studying for the SAT, or the PSATs? And if I have to focus on either one, when should I balance time for the other? Thanks!
I’m not sure that studying for the SAT and the PSAT are all that different. The PSAT is just supposed to be a shorter/easier verion of the SAT.
With that much lead time, you can “study” at a leisurely pace - get familiar with the test structure, review the types of questions, spend no more than an hour or two a week reviewing a topic or studying a concept. Certainly don’t spend a large amount of time at this point. You should just be laying a foundation and letting familiarity build in your brain over a long period of time.
Or just wait. Even a year is plenty of time to allow for study/prep. An alternative is to get familiar with the structure and question types a month or so before the 10th grade PSAT, then use the results to focus your preparation and really get started for the next year. Even at that point, you have plenty of time.
Speaking as a tutor, I wouldn’t prep too much now. There are several things you can do if you feel the need to prepare.
- Study vocab. This helps on reading comp. and writing.
- Learn the grammar rules on the test. These can be learned at any point.
- Review all the math you learn in school. A week or two after you take a math test, go over the material on that test. Go over it again a month later and so on until it is fully internalized. Students forget a lot of the math they learn and this has very real effects. To do well on the SAT, you need a good synoptic understanding of algebra and geometry.
- Read often with comprehension being the focus. Read different types of texts.
Yes, it’s a good idea. Khan Academy has official, full-length practice tests. Take five of them before the PSAT 10, two more before the PSAT/NMSQT and the last one before the SAT. There are additional QAS tests available if you needed more practice.
Enjoy your freshman year and don’t stress too much about these exams. For now, the best preparation you can do is working hard in your classes to understand core material and read a LOT. Reading is a great way to build up stamina and comprehension for the SAT Reading portion. Reading YA novels or articles is a great start, and if you want more
“SAT-like” material, you can always ask your English teacher what they might recommend. It’s great that you’re wanting to start early, but don’t stress yourself out about a standardized test.
Have you taken algebra 2 in school yet? If not, wait until the year that you are taking algebra 2 to begin studying for the sat. In 8th grade, i took a practice sat and got 1280. After taking algebra 2 in freshman year, I took another practice sat and got 1520.
Study both the PSAT and SAT’s, as college applications come before you know it. Also, focus more on extracurricular activities such as, science fairs or selective summer camps like RSI. As a current student, I recommend receiving at least above a 1500, as it will greatly boost up your chances to get into a good college. I scored a 1530 and got in 4 Ivy Leagues: Princeton(deferred then accepted), Harvard (accepted from waitlist), Yale, and Columbia. Good luck!
Just study for the SAT; the SAT is harder than the PSAT; thus if you master the SAT the PSAT will be a cakewalk.
@CoolMasterM I would take one practice test shortly before the PSAT 10 to familiarize yourself with the format. Then after you get your PSAT 10 score back, you can analyze your result, figure out which areas might need improvement, and implement a study plan for PSAT/SAT your junior year.