Akins' Guidance and Counseling Department
About the PSAT/NMSQT
The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program co-sponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). It's a standaridized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT. It also gives you chance to enter NMSC scholarship programs and gain access to college and career planning tools.
The PSAT/NMSQT measures:
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Critical reading skills
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Math problem-solving skills
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Writing skills
The most common reasons for taking the PSAT/NMSQT are to:
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Recieve feedback on your strengths and weaknesses necessary for college study. You can then focus your preparation on those areas that could most benefit from additional study or practice.
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See how your performance on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college.
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Enter the competition for scholarships from NMSC (grade 11).
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Help prepare for the SAT. You can become familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions you will see on the SAT.
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Receive information colleges when you check "yes" to Student Search Service.
To learn more about what is on the test, go to:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about/ontest.html
The information above comes from the PSAT section of the College Board website