PSAT/Generic Test-Taking Strategies

1. PSAT/Generic Test-Taking Strategies

2. General Health Strategy for Tests • Don’t cram the night before • Ensure a stress-free test day • Sleep well and eat a good breakfast • Show up early and know where to go

3. Proper SAT/PSAT Strategies • Be familiar with the order of difficulty (OOD) and use it to your advantage • Do not answer questions sequentially! Answer easy questions first and hard questions last. • Always use process of elimination (POE) • Reading from E to A (in reverse) will help you pay more attention to answer choices • 4 in a row means ‘no’ – you will never find 4 of the same answer in a row • Study up on grammar and vocab before the test so you don’t end up answering questions based on “sounds like” • Don’t be afraid to guess, it’s not penalized – meaning that each wrong answer is -1/4 and each correct answer is worth 1. On average, a test taker will get 1 of 5 even if they are just guessing.

4. Working/Studying for the PSAT • Nothing will help as much as working through practice sections – find them online, at Half-Price, etc. • Know the time structures and sections of the test. Let there be no surprises! • Ask questions in class or on forums. • Use flash cards, mnemonics, quizlet, crosswords, etc. • Divide your practice into a weekly regimen based on how long you have until testing day • When you are getting familiar with sections, don’t worry too much about time. As you become knowledgeable, hold yourself to accurate time standards. • Get a clear idea of your own personal OOD! Not everyone finds the same questions difficult.