<p>How do you improve a score of 191 PSAt to 220 to qualify to National merit in a year? Please give me instructions as specfic as possible because Im really puzzled right now. Thank you</p>
<p>Practice Practice Practice. I’m a soph. now and I score about 220 on the tests and got a 226 on last year’s PSAT. Make sure you read on a daily basis! the more you read the better vocab you develop, which is really helpful in sentence completion and understand and reading the passages faster. Getting in the 220s wasn’t that tough for me. If you read for about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 min a day, and take like a practice test every week or two weeks, then you should easily get a 220. Also make sure you review math terms before and grammer too before taking it, and really try to get perfect scores in those. If you miss one then it really tanks your score. I got 75M 75CR 76W last year which really made me sad because I was 2 questions away from a 235 
then again I got really lucky with CR.</p>
<p>damn… I need people within my league for help. But thanks anyway. And btw Ive been speaking english for a year and a half only…</p>
<p>^you should just practice. I had a 196 sophmore year but it only went up to a 201 my junior year because of external circumstances as well as those related to the difficulty of the test. I practiced starting september and improved to around a 214ish on average on the Administered PSAT’s i bought from CB. Just don’t practice too much because you will then tend to get worried about getting that 220 and then you’ll have jitters (like me on test day), and it’ll be a big mess. But read books. I think that will not only take your mind off PSAT’s but also improve reading comprehension so that when you take practice tests you will, indirectly, help yourself on the CR section in vocab and comprehension…win-win situation. This is the method i plan to try on my first SAT.</p>
<p>I scored 189 last year and 215 this year with only week of practice before this year’s test. It’s definitely possible.</p>
<p>Practice for the SAT. Improvements on the SAT will show in PSAT scores, plus you won’t waste any time studying exclusively for the PSAT.</p>
<p>It is verymuch doable. You have time and the “will” , I think , based on your question.</p>
<p>Since these tests are long, divide and conquer especially when you have time.</p>
<p>If you are stong in math for example, and scored high in math in the 190, then the task is even more easier as you can target wriring and reading with more focus. That was the case with my S. He scored 192 ( 75 in math) last year and 224 this year - </p>
<p>Buy McGraw Hill PSAT book. READhe writing portion and do each lesson exercises and understand. Do not rush this. Most people think they know grammar, but do not underestimate this portion.</p>
<p>Go to collegeboard website and use the how to prepare “free” information and do all the writing examples. You should know what collegeboard wants to test and feel comfortable.</p>
<p>Now buy the SAT 12 Practice tests McGraw Hill. and complete just the writing. Do this in 2 -3 months time. Have a score card and keep track. You will notice how these questions become repetetive . Analyse the wrong answers. Go back to the lessons/exercises an refresh often. If you make mistakes and after reading the answers , and you felt you knew those answers and still did not do it correctly, then stop and take a walk… Tell yourself you will watch for this pitfall in the next test. It sounds silly and I know how many times my S told me this excuse. Time limit should not be the focus at all. It is getting the answer first. Remember you have to learn first before you do the test. You will realize once you have mastered the contents SAT does have ample time atleast for writing and math.</p>
<p>By this time you are ready for the Blue Book. Do not worry about the other tests. pace them . Do 5-6 writing tests and buy the PSAT practice tests for doing one month before the actual test.</p>
<p>Now for reading …</p>
<p>Get direct hits and the usual suspects for vocab and familiarize. Reading needs practice and even more so than writing. But the best way to do this is to take subjects like European History, English Hons courses, reading varied materials. This skill takes time to accumulate and there are no short cuts. Do practice tests in the prep material books, Blue book and ensure that you answer based on the passage and NOT what you think is right. Take 2/3 tests on the whole when you get closer.</p>
<p>Divide and conquer when you have time. Focus on one thing for 3 months and get it out of the way. My S have no issue in math and focused on writing and the reading.</p>
<p>Good luck (I just said Mc Graw Hill because , that is what my S used and he found it easy and relevant)</p>
<p>It is very much doable. You have time and I think the “will” based on your question.</p>
<p>Since these tests are long, divide and conquer especially when you have the time now.</p>
<p>If you are strong in math for example, and have scored high in math in the last PSAT, then the task is even easier as you could target writing and reading with more focus. </p>
<p>That was the case with my S. He scored 192 ( 75 in math) last year and 224 this year. </p>
<p>Buy McGraw Hill PSAT book. Read the writing portion lessons and do each exercise and understand. Do not rush this. Most people think they know grammar, but you do not underestimate this portion.</p>
<p>Go to collegeboard website and use the “how to prepare” information that is available for free and do all the writing examples. You should know by now what collegeboard wants to test and feel comfortable. witb it.</p>
<p>Now buy the SAT 12 Practice tests from McGraw Hill. and complete just the writing portion. Do this over 2 -3 months time period. Have a score card and keep track. You will notice how these questions become repetetive . Analyse the wrong answers. Go back to the lessons/exercises an refresh often. If you make mistakes and after reading the answers , and you felt you knew those answers and still did not do them correctly, then stop and take a walk… Tell yourself that you would watch for this pitfall in the next test. It sounds silly and I know how many times my S has gave me this excuse. Time limit should not be the focus at all. It is about getting the answer right first. Remember you have to learn first before you do the actual test. You will realize once you have mastered the contents of SAT that you have ample time to do the test atleast for writing and math.</p>
<p>By this time, you are ready for the Blue Book. Do not worry about the other portions math/reading tests. Pace them . Do 5-6 writing tests and buy the PSAT practice tests for doing one month before the actual test.</p>
<p>Now for reading …</p>
<p>Get direct hits and the usual suspects for vocab and familiarize. Reading requires practice over a much longer period and even more so than writing. But the best way to make up for the past years is to take subjects like European History, English Hons, AP courses and reading varied materials. This skill takes time to accumulate and there are no short cuts. Do practice tests in the prep material books, Blue book and ensure that you answer based on the passage and NOT what you think is right. Take 2/3 tests on the whole when you get closer.</p>
<p>Divide and conquer when you have time. Focus on one thing for 3 months and get it out of the way. My S has no issue in math and just focused on writing and the reading.</p>
<p>Good luck (I just said Mc Graw Hill because , that is what my S used and he found it easy and relevant)</p>
<p>Going through sophomore year usually increases your score significantly, especially if you’re taking several AP/honors classes.</p>
<p>I got a 204 Soph Year and a 229 Junior Year with next to no prep.</p>
<p>Just do the prep sparingly at home when you have the time. But always set the timer and always focus. Anticipate. Concentrate. Feel motivated. I think the feeling when you take it is more important. If you think about it, the PSAT really is a laughably easy test lol</p>
<p>I think it’s just that some people lose the test mode when they actually test.</p>
<p>And in answer to some people above, I have to doubt that simply having “more experience” or another year increases your score naturally. Tons of people have done worse the second or third time around. They might’ve been cocky, overly nervous, or just sleepy.</p>
<p>So I’d say it’s more the conditions on the actual test day and the evening before it. I mean, a seventh grader could score a perfect score on the PSAT. It only tests you on knowledge up to there…the rest is just application of it. Oh, except vocab, but whatev</p>
<p>I’m really hoping I can go from my freshman year 229 to a hopefully a 240 when I actually need that score junior year. Good luck to all of us want-score-increases people…</p>