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TIPS WHEN TAKING THE PSAT EXAM

The PSAT, or the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, is a practice exam that helps eighth-graders and high school students prepare for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT I), an important college entrance test usually taken in the junior or senior year of high school.  The two-hour PSAT measures verbal, math and writing skills.

As many area students get ready to take the PSAT in the coming weeks, here are some tips -- as prepared by the Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) at the University of California, San Diego – for scoring well on the test:

• Begin reading a wide variety of articles, books and anything else that will help increase your reading comprehension, analytical skills, and vocabulary.

• Review test-taking strategies before the test:  Use a sample copy of the PSAT exam (available from your school counselor or from the College Board website) to become familiar with how the test is organized, the type of questions included,  directions involved, and how the test is scored.) Also, before the test: review the appropriate test areas the night before, get adequate rest, and eat a healthful breakfast.

• During the exam:  answer as many easy questions in each section as possible before moving on to harder questions.  If you don’t know the correct answer to a question, try to eliminate the wrong choices. (It’s sometimes easier finding the wrong answers than to find the correct ones.) Guess when you can eliminate at least one choice. But don’t spend too much time on any one question.  Pace yourself, and be aware of how much time is allotted to each section. And check your answer sheet regularly to make sure you are marking the correct area.

• Always do your homework:  By doing and reviewing your homework on a consistent basis, you not only keep yourself abreast of important academic subjects but you also keep your mind sharp for test-taking. This lessens the need to “cram” and over-study for quizzes and exams. 

For more useful PSAT tips, including practice questions, visit the College Board website at www.collegeboard.org.