Preparing to take the SAT and PSAT (Practice Scholastic Aptitude Test)

Preparing to take theSAT and PSAT

(Practice Scholastic Aptitude Test)

2016 is the year of the NEW SAT test!

What Changed?

You might be surprised by everything that’s new about the new SAT:

•All-new essay — and it’s optional on the SAT (not on PSAT)

•No penalty for guessing

•No more testing of vocab that you’ll never use again

Quick Facts•4 parts: Reading, Writing and Language, Math, and the optional SAT Essay-not in the PSAT•400–1600 score scale•3 hours and 50 minutes with the SAT Essay — or 3 hours without it (PSAT)•4 answer choices on all multiple choice questions

*Opportunity for 4 college application fee waivers for every student who uses an SAT fee waiver (see next slide)

Are You Eligible for a Fee Waiver? Consider this when you are a junior!

SAT fee waivers are available to low-income 11th and 12th grade students in the U.S. or U.S. territories and U.S. citizens living outside the U.S. may be able to have test fees waived.

SAT Subject Test fee waivers are available for students in grades 9 through 12.You’re eligible for fee waivers if you say “yes” to any of these items:

•You’re enrolled in or eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

•Your annual family income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.

What Fee Waivers Cover•The registration fee for up to two SATs, with or without the SAT Essay•The registration fee for up to two SAT Subject Test administrations (take up to three individual SAT Subject Tests taken on a single test day)•Four limited-time score reports plus four to use at any time (see details below)•Four college application fee waivers •A fee reduction for multiple-choice score verification or essay score verification

Note: If you didn’t register to take the SAT with Essay, but change your mind on test day — and materials are available at your test center — the waiver’s got you covered.

• NEW!!!! No Penalty for Guessing

• When students take an assessment in the redesigned SAT Suite, they simply earn points for the questions they answer correctly. This way, every score represents a best effort because students can give their best answer to every question — there’s no advantage to leaving any blank.

• So…make a GUESS for every question!

•Math 70 minutes• Calculator: Permitted 31 Questions• Calculator: Not Permitted 17 questions (48 total)

•Reading 60 minutes (47 questions)

• Writing and Language 35 minutes (44 questions)

The sections tested on the PSAT are:

READING SECTION: 60 minutes/ 47 multiple choice questions

Each reading passage or pair of passages is followed by a number of questions.

After reading each passage or pair, choose the best answer to each question based on what is stated or implied in the passage or passages and in any accompanying graphics (such as a table or graph).

The Reading Test always includes:

One passage from a classic or contemporary work of U.S. or world literature.

One passage or a pair of passages from either a U.S. founding document or a text in the great global conversation they inspired. The U.S. Constitution or a speech by Nelson Mandela, for example.

A selection about economics, psychology, sociology, or some other social science.

Two science passages (or one passage and one passage pair) that examine foundational concepts and developments in Earth science, biology, chemistry, or physics.

Reading Section

READING SECTION: Words in Context

Many questions on the new PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 focus on important, widely used words and phrases found in texts in many different subjects. Some questions ask you to figure out a word’s meaning based on context.

The words are ones that you will probably encounter in college or in the workplace long after test day.

No longer will students use flashcards to memorize obscure words, only to forget them the minute they put their test pencils down. The redesigned exams will engage students in close reading and honor the best work of the classroom.

Command of EvidenceThe Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section asks you to interpret, synthesize, and use evidence found in a wide range of sources. These sources include:

• informational graphics, such as tables, charts, and graphs• multi-paragraph passages in the areas of literature and literary nonfiction, the

humanities, science, history and social studies, and on topics about work and career.

For every passage or pair of passages you’ll see during the Reading Test, at least one question will ask you to identify which part of the text best supports the answer to the previous question.

In other instances, you’ll be asked to find the best answer to a question by pulling together information conveyed in words and graphics.

The Writing and Language Test also focuses on command of evidence. It asks you to do things like analyze a series of sentences or paragraphs and decide if it makes sense. Other questions ask you to interpret graphics and to edit a part of the accompanying passage so that it clearly and accurately communicates the information in the graphics.

WRITING AND LANGUAGE SECTION: 35 minutes/ 44 Questions

Each passage is accompanied by a number of questions.

For some questions, you will consider how the passage might be revised to improve the expression of ideas.

For other questions, you will consider how the passage might be edited to correct errors in sentence structure, usage, or punctuation.

A passage or a question may be accompanied by one or more graphics (such as a table or graph) that you will consider as you make revising and editing decisions.

Some questions will direct you to an underlined portion of a passage.

Other questions will direct you to a location in a passage or ask you to think about the passage as a whole.

After reading each passage, choose the answer to each question that most effectively improves the quality of writing in the passage or that makes the passage conform to the conventions of standard written English.

Many questions include a “NO CHANGE” option. Choose that option if you think the best choice is to leave the relevant portion of the passage as it is.

What are short-term preparation strategies?

• http://www.collegeboard.com/ for free questions of the day and other practice assessments. Employing a variety of tools and test-preparation texts is the best short-term preparation.