The PSAT/NMSQT at a Glance

The PSAT/NMSQT (or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) is a preliminary version of the SAT. The test is 2 hours and 10 minutes long and divided into 5 sections testing your skills in Math, Critical Reading, and Writing. Each section on the PSAT has a scaled score from 20-80 points.

Section Length Question Types
Math Two, 25-minute sections 28 Multiple Choice
10 Grid-Ins
Critical Reading Two, 25-minute sections 13 Sentence Completions
35 Reading Comprehension
Writing One, 30-minute section 14 Identifying Sentence Errors
20 Improving Sentences
5 Improving Paragraphs

Not only is the PSAT great practice for taking the SAT or ACT, a great score can also open the door to National Merit Scholarships and other awards. Find out more about why you should take—and prepare for—the PSAT.

*SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. PSAT/NMSQT is a trademark jointly owned by the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which were not involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this product. None of the trademark holders are affiliated with Kaplan or this website.
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