I am a sophomore and I’m trying to figure out when to start preparing for the PSAT, ACT and SAT. This summer, I did some of a PSAT review book to prepare for the test in October. I know that it doesn’t count, but I’ve been told that its good to take for practice. Will my practice for the PSAT also help me with the ACT and SAT, which I plan to take at the end of the year (also for practice)? Or should I do separate work for that?
I think practicing for the PSAT will help you, at least to brush up on concepts. It won’t be enough to just study PSAT for the other two, but it will help with some concepts. And the more you practice, the more likely you are to do well when you take the official PSAT, meaning you might make the cutoff for NMSQT. I recommend starting now for PSAT, or at least soon. The PSAT you take in your junior year is the one that counts.
Spend 10th grade focusing on your studies and learning, and re-learning, Algebra I & II and Geometry as well as English Grammar. Then spend next summer going gangbusters on prep. That will help you peak at the right time which will be just before the PSAT that counts.
Hope there will be enough high quality material to go “gangbusters” on prep by next summer.
Me too! The last time the SAT revised their tests (in 2005) they had an improved “official” book out about a year after their tests had changed. I can only hope the same will happen this time.
I took the May test, and I am STILL waiting for my copy of the test and my answers, so I have little faith they’ll be in any hurry to update their publications.