How to study for PSAT?

Hi all,

My 10th grader son just took the most recent PSAT. The next one will be in October. How should he prepare for it? Are there study guides for it? I did some reading, and only saw prep classes for SAT, nothing for PSAT. Also, do you suggest that he study for a certain amount of time each day, starting now and all through summer, or ?

Thanks for any advice! This is pretty confusing for me. Back in my days, I didn’t really take any prep classes for PSAT or SAT. Nowadays it’s obviously different.

prep classes for the SAT WILL help him prepare for the PSAT.
Its worth the $$ if his early psat scores out him within shooting range of the cutoff score for your state.
NMF status can mean big $$ scholarships.

^^^^ And the flip side of that is that if it’s pretty clear he’s nowhere near the range for your state’s NMSF cut off (the guidance counselor should have that figure) then he can skip the PSAT entirely and just focus on the ACT and/or SAT.

My son only worked part time the summer before junior year and spent a lot of time on Kahn Academy studying for the PSAT. I agree that any SAT prep works for the PSAT. We liked Kahn Academy because it was free. I think the prep helped him when he ultimately took the ACT and SAT, too. Summer is a good time for kids to study for standardized tests as they can focus on the test prep. He raised his score by a lot from 10 to 11 grade.

In ACT territory it is really hard to motivate a kid even in solid potential range, to work for the PSAT.

Since it’s only March now, I’m thinking that he shouldn’t start studying for the Oct PSAT until mid or late summer, at the earliest. What do you guys think?
Thanks!