Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test - Practice Test 8 - Test-Taking Strategies

Sep 22, 2026

Uploaded by Patrick

Practice with full-length PSAT/NMSQT by following the official timing and scoring rules across five sections: 25 minutes for Sections 1-4 and 30 minutes for Section 5. Learn how points are awarded for correct multiple-choice answers, reduced for wrong answers, and handled for math questions. The guide explains guessing, marking requirements on the answer sheet, pacing, credit rules, and checking only within each finished section.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages32

Reading Time1 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Timing and Scoring Rules

Guessing and Point Impact

Marking and Credits

Test-Taking Strategies

Pacing and Difficulty

Getting Credit for All You Know

Practice Test Instructions

Answer Sheet Usage

Checking Within Sections

Practice with this full-lengthPSAT/NMSQT° Preliminary SAT/ # National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test TimingThe PSAT/NMSQT®has five sections.You will have 25 minutes each forSections 1-4 and 30 minutes for Section 5.ScoringFor each correct answer,you receive one point.For questions you omit,youreceive no points.For a wrong answer to a multiple-choice question,you losea quarter(%)of a point.For a wrong answer to a math question that is notmultiple choice,you do not lose any points.GuessingIf you can eliminate one or more choices as wrong,you increase your chancesof choosing the correct answer and earning one point.If you cannot eliminateany choices,move on.You can return to the question later if there is time.MarkingYou must mark all of your answers on your answer sheet to receive credit.AnswersMake sure each mark is dark and completely fills the circle.If you erase,doso completely.You may write in the test book,but you will not receive creditfor anything you write there.CheckingYou may check your work on a particular section if you finish it before time isAnswerscalled,but you may not turn to any other section. Make time totake the PracticeTest.It's thebest way to getready for thePSAT/NMSQT. DO NOT OPEN THE TEST BOOK UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO! Unauthorized reproduction or use of any part of this test is prohibited. Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Testcosponsored byCollegeBoard/NATIONAL MERITSCHOLARSHIP CORPORATION TAKE THE PRACTICE TEST Set aside time to take the entire test;youll need about 2 hours and 10 minutes.Use the practice answer sheet on pages 3 and 4.Have your calculator available for the math sections.After the test,check your answers to see how you scored. TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES Try these out when you take the Practice Test: ■ Expect easy questions at the beginning of each setof sentence completion questions(in the criticalreading sections)and math questions.Within aset,questions generally get harder as you go along.However,sets of passage-based reading questions(in the critical reading sections)and writing skillsquestions are not necessarily arranged by difficulty. ■ Earn as many points as you can on easy questions.For each correct answer you receive one point,nomatter how hard or easy the questions are.Beware ofcareless errors on questions you know how to answer. ■ You don't have to answer every question.You can dowell even though you omit some questions. ■ Work steadily.Don't waste time on a question thatis hard for you.If you can’t answer it,mark it in yourtest book and go on.Go back to it later if there istime.Bring a watch with you to help with pacing. GET CREDIT FOR ALL YOU KNOW ▶.Use a No.2 pencil. Follow instructions for grids. ▶ Mark only one answer to each question.Make dark marks and fill circlescompletely. Erase completely if you change aresponse, Take the Practice Test on the following pages to become familiar with the kinds of questions(critical reading,mathematics andwriting skill)on the PSAT/NMSQT.The test you take in October will be similar,containing 5 sections:critical reading questions in2 sections,mathematics questions in 2 sections and writing skills questions in 1 section. ■ Try guessing when you can eliminate at least oneanswer to a multiple-choice question. ■ Mark your answers in the correct row of circleson the answer sheet.Be especially careful if youskip questions. ■ Write your answers to math questions 29-38in the boxes above the circles.Then enter youranswer accurately and as completely as the grid willaccommodate.You MUST grid the correct answerin the circles to receive credit.If the correct answeris written above the grid,but the incorrect circles aremarked,the answer is incorrect.A common mistakeis marking two circles in the same column,so be sureto double-check your grids.You do not lose pointsfor a wrong answer to a Student-Produced ResponseQuestion. Name | Questions
Section

FAQs

How is the PSAT/NMSQT scored for correct and incorrect answers?

Each correct answer earns one point. For a wrong multiple-choice answer, you lose one quarter of a point; omitted questions earn no points. Wrong non-multiple-choice math answers do not reduce points.

What should you do when you can eliminate some choices on a question?

If you can eliminate one or more choices as wrong, guessing increases your chances and can still earn the point for a correct answer.

What marking rules must you follow to receive credit?

Mark all answers on the answer sheet using dark marks that completely fill the circles. Erase completely if you change a response, and grid math answers into the circles to receive credit.

Sep 22, 2026

Uploaded by Patrick

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