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2016 PSAT Score Interpretation Workshop
Thursday, January 14th
What is the PSAT/NMSQT?
● PSAT - Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test
(SAT)/National Merit Qualifying Test
● Practice SAT Test
● Offered officially only once a year in October
What is the NMSQT?
National Merit Qualifying Test (NMSQT)
● National standardized test administered by the CollegeBoard and
cosponsored by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in the US.
● Approximately 3.5 million students take the test each year.
● Student responses and scores determine their eligibility for the National
Merit Scholarship Program. Students will qualifying scores are notified of
their eligibility status in the fall of the senior year.
● Visit www.nationalmerit.org for more information.
PSAT/NMSQT
BENEFITS OF TAKING THE
PSAT/NMSQT:
● Best preparation for the SATs
● Entry point for the NMSQT
program for juniors
● Personalized feedback on
reading, language and writing
and math along with steps for
improvement
HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR
PSATs?
● Take challenging courses
● No test prep...it’s a practice test
HOW CAN I USE PSAT TO
PREPARE FOR SATs?
● Use score reports to focus on
lower scoring areas
● Learn the instructions in
advance to save time
● Access to free CollegeBoard
supports
College Admissions Testing
Freshman Year:
● SAT Subject Tests - required by
some selective colleges &
universities. Students are
recommended to take them in
June of whatever year they are
enrolled in a particular class -
BIOLOGY
Sophomore Year:
● PSAT - Practice SAT test offered
in October
● SAT Subject Tests - in June if
applicable
College Admissions TestingJunior Year:
● PSAT - Practice SAT test
offered in October
○ Juniors should STILL take
even if they took the test as
10th graders (NMSQT)
● SAT and/or ACT Test
● SAT Subject Tests - in June if
applicable
Senior Year:
● SAT and/or ACT Test by
November if applicable
● SAT Subject Tests - before
January if required by specific
schools or for the Koplik
Award
● AP Exams in May if applicable
● TOEFL - Test of English
proficiency for ELL students
Important Reminders
● PSAT scores are NOT released to any college or university
● ALL students should take the PSAT as a junior
● Standardized tests are not the ONLY thing that schools look at, it is a
combination of things including but not limited to...
○ Grade Point Average
○ Strength of schedule
○ Test scores
○ Essay
○ Recommendations
○ Interview
TEST CHANGES
Welcome!
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Test Changes Timeline
Jan2016 Feb2016 Mar2016 Apr2016 May2016
PSAT Scores Back
SAT: Last
Current Test
ACT Test Date
SAT: New Test Launches
ACT Test Date
1st New SAT
Scores Back
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PSAT Score Return Timeline
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PSAT Score Report Highlights
Old PSAT New PSAT
Length
Your Scores
Your Skills
Your Answers
Next Steps and Additional Features
Hard Copy Score Reports
1 Page 4 Pages✓ Includes Cross-Test and
Subscores✓
✓
✓ ✓
✓ With Additional Detail
My College QuickStartRecommendations
My Road + Big FutureAP Potential
1 Copy Mailed to Schools2 Copies Mailed to Schools
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PSAT & New SAT Scoring
SAT: 400-1600
PSAT/NMSQT: 320-1520
300 600 900 1200 1500Composite Score Range
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New PSAT Score Report
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Your ScoresYour Scores
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Your Scores (cont.)
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National Merit
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Next Steps
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Kaplan PSAT Student Survey Results
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New SAT Overview
Category Features
• Now scored on a scale of 1600• Evidence-Based Reading & Writing• Math• New optional Essay scored separately• No guessing penalty• 4 answer choices
Scoring
3 hours, 50 minutesTiming
TEST CHANGES
New SAT Overview
Category Features
• Reading and Writing combined• Reading details:• No sentence completions• Passage topics include US and World Literature,
History/Social Studies, and Sciences (500 - 750 words)
• 65 minutes
• Writing and Language details:• Focus on extended prose (400 - 500 words)• 35 minutes
Evidence-based
Reading & Writing Section
TEST CHANGES
Current SAT New SAT ACT
Reading Passage Topics
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New SAT Overview
Category Features
MathSection
• Three areas of concentrated focus:• Problem solving and data analysis• “The Heart of Algebra”• “Passport to Advanced Math”
• Math fluency emphasized • 25 minutes without a Calculator• 55 minutes with a Calculator
• Multi-part questions
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Math Skills Tested
Current SAT New SAT ACT
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Rigor & The New SAT
CURRENT SAT MATHThe percent increase from 6 to 16 is equal to the percent increase from 12 to what number?
(A)16(B)22
(C) 23(D) 32(E) 36
NEW SAT MATHAccording to the Project on Student Debt prepared by The Institute for College Access and Success, 7 out of 10 students graduating in 2012 from a four-year college in the United States had student loan debt. The average amount borrowed per student was $29,400, which is up from $18,750 in 2004. If student debt experiences the same total percent increase over the next eight years, approximately how much will a college student graduating in 2020 owe, assuming she takes out student loans to pay for her education?
A)$40,100B)$44,300C) $46,100D) $48,200
Word Count = 18
Word Count = 87
TEST CHANGES
New SAT Overview
Category Features
Essay
• Essay is optional• 50 minutes• Requires students to analyze a 650-750
word document and explain how the author builds an argument
• 3 Scores (2-8)✓ Reading✓ Analysis✓ Writing
TEST CHANGES
13%* of Colleges Will Require the New SAT Essay
• Anderson University (IN)• California Institute of Technology• Claremont McKenna College• College of Southern Nevada• Dartmouth College• Duke University• Emory University• Harvard College• Howard University• Marlboro College (VT)• Pennsylvania College of Technology• Prince George’s Community College• Princeton University• Rice University• Stanford University• Texas A&M University• University of California Schools• University of South Florida• University of St. Andrews (UK)• University of Texas at Austin• Yale University
TEST CHANGES
Updated ACT OverviewCategory Features
Sections
• No changes to 1-36 scoringScoring
Math
Reading
• More probability & statistics
• New paired passages
Essay • Requires analysis of 3 different perspectives • 40 minutes long
• Math English• Reading Science
TEST CHANGES
New SAT and ACT: Top 5 Key Differences
The New SAT has a greater focus on History & Social Studies passages, while the ACT requires more Science reading.
Both focus on Algebra, but the New SAT has a greater emphasis on Data Analysis & Problem Solving.
Both essays are optional, but the New SAT essay requires additional text analysis.
The New SAT has a No Calculator Math section.
The New SAT Math section has grid-in questions and Item Sets.
TEST CHANGES
Scoring Details
▪ First New SAT administration▪ 21 days + up to 4 weeks for scores to be
available
▪ New SAT Concordance tables▪ Released in January for the PSAT and
May for the SAT
▪ New and Old SAT scores▪ Most schools will accept both scores for a
3-year transition period▪ Virginia Tech will only accept the new
SAT
TEST CHANGES
Next StepsWhat do you
need?When does it
start?Where can you
register?
A Free Practice TestSAT/ACT Practice Test1/16 at Burlington HS1/23 at Arlington HS
http://kaplan.formstack.com/forms/burlington_combo
http://kaplan.formstack.com/forms/arlington_sat_act_c
ombo
A Class for the March, May, & June
SAT
Winchester HS2/02 – 3/3: Tue/Thur
SMKA160473/19-4/27: Sat/Wed
SMKA16113
kaplanatschool.com/winchester
Free SAT On Demand Now! kaplanatschool.com/winchester
Personalized One-on-One Tutoring Tutors Available Now! 1-800-KAPTEST
TEST CHANGES
Thank You!Questions?
Sherry Brass978-959-1042
For more information, visit kaptest.com/satchange or call 1-800-KAPTEST.
