1. Getting Ready For the PSAT October 12, 2012

2. Tests you’ll be taking this year PSAT is October 12 th from 1 st through 4 th periods. Students will eat during 5 th period (Bring a check for $22.00 made out to Clayton High School to the counseling office and give it to Mrs. Hellwig) Sophomores – PLAN (Practice ACT) is Nov. 10 Juniors -Practice ACT is January 11 th Juniors -Free District-Choice ACT is April 25 th

3. What to bring to the PSAT A couple of # 2 pencils Calculator ID Social security # and Email address are optional

4. Collegeboard.com a free resource for students

5. How is the PSAT scored Three subtests with a scale scores of 20 – 80 Average junior scores are: Reading – 47 Math – 43 Writing – 46 Total score is the sum of the three: R&M&W Average of juniors – 136 National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) Average NM for Missouri score is 205 - 214

6. Short-Term Approaches and Strategies * Take the practice test in the Official Student Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT. * Learn the directions for each type of math and critical reading question. * Try sample questions from past tests. * Earn as many points as you can on easy questions. * Read all the answer choices before marking your answer sheet. * Do your scratch work in the test book. * Don't feel you have to answer every question. * Work steadily -- don't waste time on hard questions. You can always go back to them later. * Check your answer sheet regularly to make sure you're in the right place. * Write your answers to grid-ins in the boxes above the ovals. * Try educated guessing when you can eliminate at least one answer to a multiple-choice question. Be sure you understand the difference between educated and random guessing. See below. * Take a calculator.

7. About Guessing Educated guessing means guessing an answer whenever you are able to eliminate one or more of the choices as definitely wrong. Educated guessing may help you. Random guessing probably won't help you because of the way the test is scored. Random guessing means that you have no idea which answer choice is correct. Don't waste time on that kind of question. Move on to the next one.

8. Sentence Completions 1. Read the entire sentence to yourself. 2. Watch for introductory or connecting words and phrases like "but," "not," "because," etc. 3. In sentences with two blanks, make sure the words for both blanks make sense in the sentence. 4. Start by working with one blank at a time. 5. Stay within the meaning of the sentence. 6. Before you mark your answer, read the complete sentence with your choice filled in.

9. Passage-Based Readings 1. Don't skip introductions to passages. 2. Read each passage and any accompanying information carefully. Follow the author's reasoning and be aware of features such as assumptions, attitudes, and tone. 3. You may find it helpful to mark the passages as you are reading, but don't spend too much time making notes. 4. Read each question and all the answer choices carefully. 5. When a question asks you to compare an aspect of a pair of passages, don't be misled by choices that are correct for only one of the two passages. 6. Select the choice that best answers the question asked. Don't select a choice just because it is a true statement. 7. You may find it helpful to read the questions first to get an idea of what to look for. Or, you may prefer to read the passage and try to answer the questions.

10. Math Multiple Choice 1. Look at the answer choices before you begin to work on each question. 2. Read each question carefully, even if it looks like a question you don't think you can answer. Don't let the form of the question keep you from trying to answer it. 3. If your answer isn't among the choices, try writing it in a different form. You may have the same answer in a different mathematical format.

11. Grid-Ins Student-Produced Response 1. Since answer choices aren't given, a calculator may be helpful in avoiding careless mistakes on these questions. 2. It's suggested that you write your answer in the boxes above the grid to avoid errors in gridding. 3. The grid can hold only four places and can accommodate only positive numbers and zero. 4. Do not worry about which column to begin gridding the answer. As long as the answer is gridded completely, you will receive credit. 5. Unless a problem indicates otherwise, an answer can be entered on the grid either as a decimal or as a fraction. 6. You don't have to reduce fractions like 3/24 to their lowest terms. 7. Convert all mixed numbers to improper fractions before gridding the answer. 8. If the answer is a repeating decimal, you must grid the most accurate value the grid will accommodate. 9. Some questions may have more than one right answer. 10. You don't lose any points for a wrong answer.

12. Identifying Sentence Errors 1. Read the entire sentence carefully but quickly. 2. Look at choices (A) through (D) to see whether anything needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. 3. Don't waste time searching for errors. Mark (E) No error, on your answer sheet if you believe the sentence is correct as written. 4. Move quickly through questions about Identifying Sentence Errors. The other kinds of questions (Improving Sentences and Improving Paragraphs) will probably take more time. 5. Mark questions that seem hard for you and return to them later.

13. Improving Sentences 1. Read the entire sentence carefully but quickly. Note the underlined portion because that is the portion that may have to be revised. 2. Remember that the portion with no underline stays the same. 3. Mark choice (A) if the underlined portion seems correct. Check the other choices quickly to make sure that (A) is really the best choice. 4. Think of how you would revise the underlined portion if it seems wrong. Look for your revision among the choices given. 5. Replace the underlined portion of the sentence with choices (B) through (E) if you don't find your revision. Concentrate on the choices that seem clear and exact when you read them.

14. Eat a good breakfast on the morning of the test. Get plenty of sleep the night before. Do not “stress” over standardized test-taking. Prepare yourself for the kind of questions that will be asked by reviewing the PSAT prep booklet that we are handing out today.