At Sequoia Academy, we offer both private and group lessons to prepare students for the PSAT. These include short courses that focus on test-taking skills and strategies, as well as several practice test sessions. We also offer more extensive courses for students who wish to compete for the National Merit Scholarship. These courses not only ready students for taking the PSAT—they also provide a head start on preparing for the SAT.
PSAT Information
The Preliminary SAT (PSAT) is a test administered by the College Board that is generally taken in October by high school juniors. The PSAT is a 2 hour, 10 minute test designed to emulate the questions students face on the SAT. The PSAT has Math, Critical Reading, and Writing Sections, as on the SAT. Each section on the PSAT is scored from 20 to 80, with a total score of 240. Multiplying by 10 gives students their projected score on the SAT. Unlike the SAT, the PSAT has no essay section.
In addition to preparing students for the SAT, the PSAT is also required to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship. Every year, the 50,000 highest scoring students on the PSAT in the nation will receive recognition as either National Merit recognition, either as Commended Students, Semifinalists, or Finalists. The cutoff score for National Merit recognition is generally around 215-220.
In addition to preparing students for the SAT, the PSAT is also required to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship. Every year, the 50,000 highest scoring students on the PSAT in the nation will receive recognition as either National Merit recognition, either as Commended Students, Semifinalists, or Finalists. The cutoff score for National Merit recognition is generally around 215-220.