Brian W. Stewart - PSAT/NMSQT Study Guide, 2023

Dedicated to Caitlin, Andrew, and Eloisewithout your love and support, this book would not have been possible. I would like to especially thank my mom, my dad, Andy, Pam, Hannah, Mitchell, Michal, Julia, and Lydia for their invaluable help with this undertaking. I am grateful to all the support from my publisher, especially Jennifer Goodenough and Lauren Manoy.

Thanks so much to all of my students over the yearsI have learned far more from you than you have learned from me.

Copyright 2022, 2020 by Kaplan North America, LLC, dba Barrons Educational Series

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Brian W. Stewart is the founder and president of BWS Education Consulting, Inc., a boutique tutoring and test preparation company based in Columbus, Ohio. Brian is a nationally recognized test preparation expert, having over 30,000 hours of direct instructional experience with a wide variety of learners from all over the world. He has earned perfect scores on many standardized tests, helped hundreds of students reach their college admissions goals, and presented on best tutoring practices at national conferences.

Brian has used his experience and expertise to write several best-selling books with Barrons, including Barrons ACT and Barrons SAT. He is a former high school teacher and graduate of Princeton University (A.B.) and The Ohio State University (M.Ed.).

Brian resides in Columbus with his wife, two children, and an assortment of pets.

To learn more about Brians online tutoring and group presentations, please visit www.bwseducationconsulting.com.

This book is designed to allow for highly targeted preparation for the PSAT. Based on your previous PSAT test scores or the PSAT diagnostic test in this book, review the strategies and content knowledge that are most relevant to your needs. There are hundreds of drills that range in difficulty from easy to challenging so that you can achieve the very best results for your personal situation.

First, take the diagnostic test to gain an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. It is a complete test with answer explanations and a question-type analysis guide, so you know what types of concepts need the most attention.

The Reading, Writing and Language, and Math sections each have:

Proven test-taking strategies that allow you to customize your approach

Extensive review of key concepts, particularly grammar and math knowledge

Practice questions fully aligned with PSAT content

Advanced practice drills for those students seeking National Merit recognition

The final section of the book offers the opportunity to take two full-length practice tests that include all question types found on the actual PSAT for the Reading, Writing and Language, and Math (calculator and non-calculator) sections. Comprehensive answer explanations are provided for each question.

In addition to the diagnostic test and two practice tests within this book, there is also one full-length online practice exam. You may take this exam in practice (untimed) mode or in timed mode. All questions include answer explanations. Further, there is a vocabulary resource available in the online practice if you need to improve your performance on vocabulary-in-context questions.

Every strategy and explanation is based on what I have found works best for students on the actual PSAT. No matter your personal goals and background knowledge, you will find practice drills and test-taking strategies that are geared toward your situation.

Best of luck,

Brian W. Stewart

While many students will like working through this book independently, others will maximize their learning when they have a great teacher or tutor as their guide. Help your students work smarter instead of simply working harder by utilizing the concept reviews and drills most appropriate for your students needs. Also, you can coach your students on which test-taking strategies will be the best fit based on their past performance. I am hopeful that the skills that students develop from using this book will help them not just with the PSAT, but also with their academic coursework and future careers. If you have any suggestions for future editions, please reach out via the publisher.

Sincerely,

Brian W. Stewart

In January 2022, the College Board announced that in the Fall of 2023, the PSAT will switch from a paper to a digital format. The fundamental math, reading, and grammar skills and knowledge necessary for success will remain the same. The most important anticipated changes are that the PSAT test sections will be adaptive (changing in difficulty based on your performance), and the entire test will be given on a computer. Check out the latest information on the digital exam by accessing Barrons Online Learning Hub via the link provided in the card at the front of the book. The Learning Hub includes online practice materials, and you can find more information on the digital PSAT in the Library section.

The PSAT is a preliminary SAT exam that is used both for assessing student academic progress and for determining eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship competition. Over 4,000,000 high school students take the PSAT or PSAT 10 each year. It is such a popular test because the PSAT helps students gauge their college readiness as well as prepare for the SAT exam. There are different PSAT exams, including PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, and PSAT/NMSQT, which are typically based on a students grade level.

TIP

The PSAT is very similar to the SAT. However, the SAT is slightly longer, has a bit more advanced math, and includes an essay. This book will not only prepare you for the PSAT but also includes most of what you will find on the SAT.