PSAT/NMSQT 2009
Check in/Registration begins at 7:30am. The test begins at 8:00am and goes until 11:00am.
• Get ideas from the score report on how to improve your academic skills
• Use MyRoad to access free resources and information about college majors and careers that interest you
Web Resources:
Collegeboard.com/psat for sample questions
PSAT/NMSQT Guide and Next Steps After Taking the Test
Helping Your Child Use Score Report Plus
Be sure to look beyond the scores when you read your student's PSAT/NMSQT
Score Report Plus. You'll find a thorough review of their performance and
suggestions for improvement in school and out, as well as advice and
tools for college and career preparation.
Scores
Your student's PSAT/NMSQT scores are printed right at the top of the
report. Each score—for critical reading, math, and writing skills—is
based on a scale of 20–80. But the score is just the beginning. Other
important data available on the report include score ranges and
percentiles.
Score ranges show how much scores might vary if your student were to take
the PSAT/NMSQT repeatedly without learning additional skills. In other
words, the scores within this range are considered "equal,"
statistically.
Percentiles compare your student's performance to that of other students.
If your student is in the eleventh grade, their score is compared to the scores of all
eleventh graders who took the test. If your student is in the tenth grade or earlier, their score is compared to the scores of all tenth graders who took the
test.
Review Your Answers
Here you’ll find the correct answer, your child's response, and the
difficulty level of each question. For math questions, the general area
of math covered is also indicated. Your child should receive their
original test book along with their Score Report Plus. Reviewing
questions they got wrong is an excellent way for your child to prepare
for the SAT®. Encourage them to look into the reasons they got them wrong:
Send your child to:collegeboard.com/quickstart for complete answer explanations.
- Did they not know the answer? Or was there another reason why they responded incorrectly?
- Did they make a careless error?
- Did they guess instead of leaving the question blank?
Reviewing answers and going over difficult questions with a teacher will help your child improve their skills and performance.
Improve Your Skills
This section lists some specific skills that your student needs to
improve. These suggestions are based upon the pattern of responses
across test questions. You'll find personalized feedback on up to three
critical reading and math skills and up to two writing skills. While
other areas may also need improvement, the skills listed here are the
ones that can be best improved through additional attention and
learning. Share this information with your student's teachers because
these skills affect classroom performance and are important for success
in college.
National Merit Scholarship Corporation Programs
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) cosponsors the
Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
(PSAT/NMSQT). The scholarship competitions are for eleventh graders
only.
Eleventh graders are automatically entered into the NMSC scholarship competition.
Qualification is based on the selection index—the sum of critical
reading, math, and writing skills scores. In September, NMSC will
notify principals of students who have been commended or are eligible
for continuing in NMSC scholarship competitions.
If your student's selection index has an asterisk, it means that they are
in some way ineligible to enter the competition. This is not because of their scores, but most likely because they are not yet in the eleventh grade.
Educational Plans
This section offers college major information. Before the test, your
child provided their grade average and the college major they are
considering. Here you’ll find a description of the major they chose and
recommended high school courses that will help them prepare for
college-level work.
My College QuickStart™
If your student is in high school, they'll receive My College QuickStart,
a free personalized planning kit that complements their score report. Your student
can find it online at www.collegeboard.com/quickstart. With the unique
access code printed on their score report, your student will have access to
the following features:
Your student can plan for the future with MyRoad.
- Complete answer explanations for every question on the PSAT/NMSQT. The online score report also includes state percentiles and projected SAT score ranges.
- A personalized SAT study plan, based on their PSAT/NMSQT performance. My SAT Study Plan™ provides practice SAT questions, including those that test higher-level math, as well as sample SAT essays, written by actual test-takers.
- Interactive and in-depth college and career planning with MyRoad™. Your student can take a validated personality assessment, learn about their personality type, and receive and explore major and career suggestions. Your student will have access to MyRoad throughout high school.
Next Steps
With the help of teachers and counselors, students should use the
information provided on the PSAT/NMSQT Score Report Plus and My College
QuickStart to improve their academic skills and plan for college or a
career. Your student can take the following next steps:
- Review their high school transcripts with their counselor and select strong courses for next year that will help them reach their education and career goals.
- Consider taking AP® and honors courses in high school.
- Take the PSAT/NMSQT again in the fall of the eleventh grade, if they are in the tenth grade.
- Register for the SAT in the spring, if in the eleventh grade. Register online for SAT tests.
- Get involved in extracurricular and community activities. College admissions officials weigh the contributions students will make to the college community.
Visit collegeboard.com for Action Plans for all four grades in high school.