Fall 2024 PSAT/NMSQT Testing

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The Preliminary SAT, also known as the PSAT/NMSQT® (National Merit Scholarship

Qualifying Test), is a practice version of the SAT exam. Students are allowed to participate in the PSAT test once per year. Juniors who earn a high score on their PSAT test could qualify to receive a National Merit Scholarship during their senior year. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation provides $180 million dollars in merit scholarships to seniors each year.

Although students are only eligible for merit scholarships based on their junior year test scores, many freshman and sophomores participate in the test each year as practice to prepare for the test their junior year.

How is the PSAT/NMSQT structured?

The PSAT is a 2 hour and 14 minute long online/digital test which evaluates your skills in reading, writing, and math. Unlike the SAT at 1600, the highest score possible on the PSAT is 1520.

PSAT Testing Subsections

Reading and Writing Section- Reading and Writing section includes 54 questions evenly divided between 2 modules. You have 32 minutes to answer the questions in each module (~1 minute and 11 seconds per question). To help you budget your time, questions that test similar skills and knowledge are grouped together and arranged from easiest to hardest.

Math Section-The Math section includes 44 questions evenly divided between 2 modules. You have 35 minutes to answer the questions in each module (~1 minute and 35 seconds per question). Across each module, questions are arranged from easiest to hardest, allowing you to have the best opportunity to demonstrate what you know and can do.

How much is College Board Charging for PSAT Testing?

• 9th and 10th graders - $12.82

• 11th graders- $10.34

• Cash Payment - On campus EXACT cash only payment information will be provided by your home campus.

When is registration available?

Registration opens 8/5/24 and closes at 11:59 PM on 8/22/24.

How do I register and pay for the PSAT if I am an RISD student?

• Link for 9th and 10th RISD Students
• Link for 11th RISD Students

How do I register, request accommodations and pay for the PSAT if I am a Homeschooled student?

Please contact Sharon.woodson@risd.org.

How do RISD students request accommodations for the PSAT?

Any student who receives testing accommodations through Section 504 or Special Education, please complete your https://s.risd.org/AccomRequestForm by August 22, 2024 so your child’s information can be provided to the College Board (PSAT) for possible testing accommodations. When a student participates in assessments such as the ACT, SAT, PSAT and/or Advanced Placement (AP) exams, we are required to follow the testing policies provided by these testing corporations or jeopardize your scores being invalidated. RISD can automatically provide accommodations to meet a students needs in testing environments such as MAP testing, STAAR/EOC testing, and RISD-generated exams; however, the ability to allow for accommodations during an ACT or College Board (SAT/PSAT/AP) assessment comes directly from these testing corporations.

When and where do RISD students take the PSAT?

Testing will take place on October 16, at your high school campus.

When and where do Homeschooled students take the PSAT?

Testing will take place on October 16, at Richardson High School. Additional information about test day specifics will be sent to the email address included in the registration process.

When are PSAT scores released? Who can see your scores?

The College Board will release student scores into their portal about 4-6 weeks after testing. Learn more about who has access to your scores at the link.

Once registration closes on August 27, you will receive additional information about free PSAT test prep courses and materials. If you would like a head start, please feel free to access these free resources.

• https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/preparing
• PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide (collegeboard.org)

This National Merit Scholarship competition awards approximately 8,200 scholarships annually. The selection process starts with choosing National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalists and Commended Scholars. Cutoffs vary from state to state but typically Semi-Finalists score in the top one percent of students in their state and Commended Scholars are between the top one to four percent. Most of the approximately 16,000 Semi-finalists become Finalists, and half of those ultimately receive National Merit Scholarships.

During a student's senior year, the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Corporation directly notifies students who have been identified as Commended, Semi-finalist, and Finalist based on their scores from their junior year of testing.

Learn more about NMSQT Scholarships and Recognitions - https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/scholarships-recognition