PSAT 8/9: How it Works

Interested in registering your child for the upcoming PSAT 8/9 but confused about how it works? Don’t worry we’ll break it down into easier to understand information.

PSAT 8/9 is meant for students entering or in their first year of high school aka 8th and 9th graders. It’s designed to measure a students current success and build post secondary readiness. The PSAT 8/9 is 2 hours and 14 minutes long, separated into two sections Reading and Writing, and Math. 

Reading and Writing

The reading and writing section is 64 minutes long (1 hour and 4 minutes) with 54 questions to answer. The questions are multiple choice based and require reading, comprehension, use of information and ideas in text, analysis of the craft and structure of text, revising texts to improve rhetorical expressions and editing texts to follow core standard English conventions. The content of the questions surrounds literature, history, social studies, humanities, and science.

Math

The math section is 70 minutes long (1 hour and 10 minutes) with 44 questions to answer. The main elements of this section are algebra, advanced math, problem solving, data analysis, geometry, and trigonometry. 

Scores and How They’re Useful

After approximately 2 weeks, students will be able to log into their college board account and see their scores. They are able to compare their scores with all other students who took the PSAT through all tester percentiles. Meaning if the student was in the 50th percentile they scored the same as or better than 50% of all other testers. Students will also be provided with a visual indicator of the areas they excel in and can improve on based on their scores. 

From all of this information students are provided with a basis that assists them in present decision-making. For instance, high scores in all areas may indicate the student could thrive in Advanced Placement (AP), whereas, students who had lower scores in a specific area may develop a study plan to improve their understanding. Or students can plan their high school courses based on future majors they may be interested in taking. A student who received good scores in math may consider a math or science-based university major and plan their courses accordingly. Lastly, these scores can typically be seen by schools, districts, or states. 

Overall, the PSAT 8/9 is great for students who would like to gauge their standing, plan their future, or figure out what their strengths and weaknesses are now.

For more information on the PSAT 8/9 visit: College Board PSAT 8/9

If you are interested in registering: PSAT 8/9 Registration