The first thing to know is that the PSAT will be in the new digital adaptive format.  The PSAT structure will be the same as the SAT in terms of number of questions and the timing.  The College Board has released a practice Digital Adaptive PSAT.  The content is very nearly the same with slightly easier questions and some topics covered less or not at all.  

Another big change is that each school will choose its own date to administer the PSAT sometime between October 2nd and October 31st.  It’s important to check with your school to ask what date is planned for your school!

Here are the schools and PSAT dates we know about, in date order.  If your school isn’t listed, please fill us in!

• The John Cooper School – October 11, 2023 (students can use their own devices)
• Concordia Lutheran High School – October 11, 2023 (students can use their own devices)
• Oak Ridge High School – October 11, 2023 (students will use school-provided devices)
• Woodlands Christian Academy – October 11, 2023 for 8th (PSAT 8/9) & 9th grades (PSAT/NMSQT) (students will use their school devices)
• Woodlands Christian Academy – October 12, 2023 for 10th & 11th grades (students will use their school devices)
• Frassati Catholic High School – October 16, 2023 for PSAT 8/9 for 9th grade (students will use school-provided devices)
• Frassati Catholic High School – October 17, 2023 for PSAT/NMSQT for 10th & 11th grades (students will use school-provided devices)
• The Woodlands High School – October 17, 2023 for PSAT/NMSQT for 9th & 11th grades (students will use school-provided devices)
• Tomball High School – October 18th, 2023 (students will use school-provided devices)
• The Woodlands High School – October 24th, 2023 for 10th grade (students will use school-provided devices)
• College Park High School – October 26, 2023 (students will use school-provided devices)

The scoring scale for the PSAT will not change.  The Verbal section will still range from 160 – 760 in 10-point increments; the Math section will still range from 160 – 760 in 10-point increments.  Therefore, the total scaled score will still range from 320 – 1520 in 10-point increments.

Since the PSAT doubles as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) in a student’s junior year, the upcoming administration of the new Digital Adaptive PSAT will serve as the NMSQT for the Class of 2025. Since the scoring scales are not changing and since the College Board has given assurances that the Digital Adaptive tests concord with the paper tests, it is likely that the Selection Index will remain in the same *relative* ranges.  The Selection Index will now be calculated by dividing by the Verbal and Math scores by 10, doubling the remaining two-digit Verbal score, and then adding the two-digit Math score.

The College Board has released four practice tests for the new Digital Adaptive SAT, plus a PSAT/NMSQT practice test in its Bluebook app.

If you’re planning on working toward National Merit Commended or Semifinalist, you’ll need to plan on prepping for both the paper SAT and Digital Adaptive PSAT.  Ideally, you’ll work over the summer and take the August paper SAT and the October paper SAT (October depending on how that coordinates or doesn’t with your school’s PSAT date).  Over the summer you’ll also prep for the Digital Adaptive PSAT format and take it in October.  Then, you’ll have two more times to take the paper SAT (November and December) and, with preparation, be finished with testing by the holidays.

Check out our Goal 1600 Class which will accomplish all of the above!