Walk Into the PSAT Knowing What Comes Next
PSAT Test Prep
Video lessons and practice for every Math domain, Reading and Writing practice, and a timed practice test so test day feels familiar.
How PSAT Prep Works Here
From the first diagnostic to the practice test
Find Your Weak Spots
A five-minute diagnostic shows which chapters are costing you points.
Watch the Lesson
Each Math concept gets a short video, worked one step at a time.
Practice Until It Sticks
Questions adjust to your level, and a wrong answer shows every step.
The Whole Test, Timed
Sit a full practice test with the real sections, order and clock.
PSAT Practice Test
Try a sample question before you start
PSAT Study Guide
One course for each section of the test
Math
Math
44 questions, calculator allowed throughout
Topics covered
- Algebra
- Advanced math
- Problem-solving and data analysis
- Geometry and trigonometry
Reading and Writing
Reading and Writing
54 short passages, one question each
Topics covered
- Craft and structure
- Information and ideas
- Standard English conventions
- Expression of ideas
Your 4-Week PSAT Study Plan
Two weeks of Math, one of Reading and Writing, then the practice test
Week 1
Algebra and Advanced Math
Linear equations and systems, then quadratics and radicals
486 video lessons across 13 chapters
Week 2
Data, Geometry and Trig
Percentages, probability, circles, right triangles and trig ratios
328 video lessons across 12 chapters
Week 3
Reading and Writing
Words in context and evidence, then boundaries and transitions
Practice across all four Reading and Writing domains
Final Days
The Whole Test, Timed
A full practice test, then back to the chapters it flags
Both sections, in test order, on the test clock
They Boosted Their Score. So Can You.
Real students. Real PSAT score gains.
Math was dragging my score down. Six weeks of targeted practice and I picked up 180 points — National Merit Semifinalist range now feels reachable.
Priya M.
Junior, Plano, TX
The diagnostic showed I was losing most of my points on Writing and Language, not Math like I thought. Fixed that in three weeks.
Ethan R.
Sophomore, Columbus, OH
Used StudyPug all summer before junior year. The adaptive practice kept adjusting to what I actually needed — made semifinalist this fall.
Grace L.
Junior, San Jose, CA
Reading was always my weak section. Step-by-step video breakdowns of the evidence-based questions finally made the pattern click.
Marcus T.
Sophomore, Atlanta, GA
Took a mock exam every weekend in August. By test day the real thing felt like just another practice round.
Ava S.
Junior, Seattle, WA
Advanced math topics like quadratics and functions were a blur until I found these videos. Wish I'd started earlier.
Noah K.
Junior, Denver, CO
Everything You Need to Know About the PSAT
Format and scoring, so there are no surprises on test day.
Total Duration
2 hr 14 min
Reading and Writing 64 min, Math 70 min
Score Range
320–1520
Two section scores, 160–760 each
Test Format
98 questions
Digital and adaptive, taken in the Bluebook app
Cost
Set by your school
Most students sit it at school, during the school day
What is the PSAT/NMSQT?
The PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) is a College Board exam most students take in 10th or 11th grade. It is practice for the SAT. For juniors, it is also the entry point to the National Merit Scholarship Program.
The test is digital and has two sections. Reading and Writing is 54 questions in 64 minutes, each on a short passage. Math is 44 questions in 70 minutes, with a calculator allowed the whole way. Each section runs as two modules, and the second module adapts to how the first went.
Key Facts About the PSAT/NMSQT
- Two sections: Reading and Writing, then Math
- 98 questions in 2 hours 14 minutes
- Scored 320–1520, with no pass or fail
- Taken digitally in the Bluebook app
- Junior-year scores count toward National Merit
- Usually taken in 10th or 11th grade
PSAT FAQ
We've got answers to some popular questions.
What is the PSAT/NMSQT?
It is the College Board's practice SAT, usually taken in 10th or 11th grade. For juniors, the score also decides who enters the National Merit Scholarship Program. Colleges do not see it.
What's on the PSAT, and how long is it?
Two sections. Reading and Writing gives you 54 short passages with one question each, in 64 minutes, testing vocabulary and evidence as well as grammar. Math gives you 44 questions in 70 minutes, running from linear equations and quadratics to data analysis and right-triangle trig. You can use a calculator for all of Math.
How is the PSAT scored?
Each section is scored 160–760, and the two add up to a total between 320 and 1520. There is no pass mark, and your report breaks the score down by domain.
What score do I need for National Merit?
There is no single number. National Merit sets its Semifinalist cutoffs state by state, from junior-year scores, and they move from year to year. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation publishes each state's figure after the test, and that is the one to go by.
Can I try it before I subscribe?
Yes. Start the PSAT practice test or work a few Math questions on linear equations before you pay anything, and see how the step-by-step solutions read.
How much does it cost, and can I stop?
Plans run by the month, three months or six months, and the prices are in the plans section above. A plan opens the video lessons, the whole practice test and your study plan. Cancel whenever your test is behind you, and the plan simply ends.