Many people assume that the “P” in PSAT stands for practice. In reality, it stands for “preliminary.” However, for most students, it really is a practice test. The PSAT was redesigned in 2015 to mirror changes made to the full-length exam: the SAT. In Colorado, PSAT results for the 2018 year will be released on December 12th.

This exam was administered at school back in October, so let’s review. The PSAT is administered over 2 hours and 45 minutes, and—like the SAT—it is divided into three sections: Evidence-based Reading, Writing and Language, and Math. Unlike the SAT, the highest score you can receive on the PSAT is 1520, and the highest score you can achieve on any one section is 760. The Evidence-based Reading and the Writing and Language sections are combined together. The math section stands alone. So, a composite score consists of these two section scores added together. So, in terms of weighting, the math section comprises ½ of a student’s composite score with the Reading and Writing and Language sections each contributing ¼ to the composite.

In terms of content, the PSAT and SAT are essentially the same. The SAT is scored out of 1600 and offers an optional essay, but—otherwise—the tests are very similar. PSAT scores are not reported to colleges and, therefore, have no college admissions implications unless a student scores extremely high and qualifies for National Merit Scholarship consideration.

For the vast majority of students, the PSAT is simply an indicator—a useful benchmark to find out where you stand and—roughly speaking—what your strengths and weaknesses are across the three sections.

Why is the PSAT out of 1520 and not 1600?
A student’s score on the PSAT is supposed to approximate what they would score on the actual SAT if taken the same day. The PSAT does not contain the highest-level difficulty questions that are found on the SAT, and the PSAT is slightly shorter. So, the College Board caps a student’s max score at 1520 because they do not know if a student would correctly answer the highest difficulty level questions found on the SAT.

In conclusion, PSAT scores are a useful benchmark but not a perfect indicator of where a student will ultimately end up. We have been working with most of our test prep students all Fall, so these scores are somewhat stale, to say the least. Every situation is different, and we encourage you to contact us with your questions. We are happy to discuss your child’s situation specifically. Just give us a call. We can be reached at (720) 605-6622 or via email at info@mosereducational.com.