<p>I have the opportunity to take both of these pre-ACT/SAT tests this fall and am wondering which one I should focus on more. I'm also wondering if there are prep books for these tests specifically (not just using ACT and SAT prep books to study for these tests) and how I should go about studying for them. Also, do colleges have access to either of these scores? Thanks for your replies in advance.</p>
<p>P.S. I'm an incoming sophomore.</p>
<p>PSAT, hands down. Although it isn’t used for this until you take it junior year, it is the qualifying test to move forward in the National Merit Scholarship Corporation competition to be a National Merit Finalist. Colleges do not see your PSAT or PLAN scores. PLAN is just something that gives you an idea of how you might do on the ACT.</p>
<p>You can study for the PSAT the same way you would study for the regular SAT. Tons of advice on this forum, but most basic:</p>
<ul>
<li>Get the blue study guide (purchase on the College Board Web site)</li>
<li>Consider getting the Gruber Prep books for math</li>
<li>If you are weak in CR, start reading as much as you can starting now – people who read a lot find the CR fairly easy. It is the harder section to just “prep” for, although you can gain some ground with practice tests.</li>
</ul>
<p>So basically my score on both tests as a sophomore will only tell me how well I could potentially do on the ACT and SAT? So for lack of better words they are pretty much useless other than for the purpose stated above unless you happen to take the PSAT your Junior year?</p>
<p>I don’t know about you but my score on the PLAN did present me with an opportunity to enroll in a research program. However, the PSAT is really not that useful until junior year. It really is like just a practice test during sophomore year.</p>
<p>Well, it gives you some practice for those tests. If you plan to take the SAT, take the PSAT at least in your junior year. But beyond giving you a feeling for the testing, the only benefit is the national merit finalist competition. But that often has scholarship money attached to it (can be big money at a few schools), so it is definltey worth doing.</p>
<p>Ok thank you</p>