GCISD Superintendent’s Scholars

PSAT Preparation – Improve your Already Terrific Score!

Today’s ScheduleTime Activity

9:00 – 9:45 Introductions & PowerPoint: The PSAT

9:45 – 10:00

In hallway : Introduce yourself to other students

10:00 – 10:15

Break

10:15 – 10:30

Move to rooms 203 and 204

10:30 – 10:55

Section I Pretest – Critical Reading

11:00 – 11:25

Section II Pretest – Math

11:30 – 12:00

Section III Pretest – Critical Reading

Tuesday’s ScheduleTime Activity

9:00 – 9:30 PowerPoint: Our Textbook

9:30-9:45 Break

9:45 – 10:15 Section IV Pretest – Math

10:15 – 10:45 Section V Pretest – Writing Skills

10:45 – 11:00 Break

11:00 – 11:15 PowerPoint: Scoring the PSAT

11:15 – 12:00 Score Your PSAT and Set your Goals

HOMEWORK SAT Book: Test 3 Section 2 Math (pages 514-519), Section 4 Writing (pages 520 – 524)

Wednesday’s ScheduleTime Activity

9:00 – 9:30 Go over Homework. Describe the breakout sessions.

9:30 - 9:45 Break; Move to Rooms 203 & 204

9:45 – 10:45 Room 203: Discuss math questions missed;Math Strategies Handout

9:45 – 10:45 Room 204: Discuss Reading Comprehension/Writing questions missed

10:45 – 11:00 Break

11:00 – 12:00 Trade rooms to continue discussing questions missed OR Computer Lab Time on Collegeboard.com, Quizlet, or Grockit

HOMEWORK SAT Book: Test 3 Section 5 Math (pages 525 - 530), Section 6 Reading Comprehension (pages 531– 536)

Thursday’s ScheduleTime Activity

9:00 – 9:30 Go over Homework. PowerPoint: The SAT

9:30 – 9:45 Break; Move to Rooms 203 & 204

9:45 – 10:45 Room 203: Discuss Math StrategiesMath Group Work

9:45 – 10:45 Room 204: Discuss Reading Comprehension/Writing Strategies Reading Comprehension/Writing Group Work

10:45 – 11:00 Break

11:00 – 12:00 Trade rooms to continue working with strategies OR Computer Lab Time on Collegeboard.com, Quizlet, or Grockit

HOMEWORK SAT Book: Test 3 Section 7 Reading Comprehension (pages 537-542), Section 8 Math(pages 543– 548)

Friday’s ScheduleTime Activity

9:00 – 9:30 Go over Homework. PowerPoint: The ACT

9:30 – 9:45 Break; Move to Rooms 203 & 204

9:45 – 10:45 Room 203: Discuss Math StrategiesMath Group Work

9:45 – 10:45 Room 204: Discuss Reading Comprehension/Writing Strategies Reading Comprehension/Writing Group Work

10:45 – 11:00 Break

11:00 – 12:00 Trade rooms to continue working with strategies OR Computer Lab Time on Collegeboard.com, Quizlet, or Grockit

NO HOMEWORK

Monday, June 28Time Activity

9:00 – 9:30 PowerPoint: Your Responsibilities. Individual Session planning.

9:30 – 9:45 Break. Move to Rooms 203 & 204

9:45 – 10:45

Room 203: Discuss Math StrategiesMath Group WorkIndividual meetings

9:45 – 10:45

Room 204: Discuss Reading Comprehension/Writing Strategies Reading Comprehension/Writing Group WorkIndividual meetings

10:45 – 11:00

Break

11:00 – 12:00

Trade rooms to continue working with strategies OR Computer Lab Time on Collegeboard.com, Quizlet, or Grockit; Individual meetings

HOMEWORK

SAT Book: Test 3 Section 9 Reading Comprehension (pages 549 - 552), Section 8 Writing(pages 553-555)

Tuesday, June 29Time Activity

9:00 – 9:30 Go over Homework. PowerPoint: The Math Portion of the PSAT. Grading your SAT test online.

9:30 – 9:45 Break. Move to Computer Labs (Rooms 404 and 409)

9:45 - 11:00 Enter your answers for Test #3 online and print your Item Type Report.

11:00 – 11:15

Break. Move to Rooms 203 & 204.

11:15 – 12:00

Analyze results of your Item Type Report. Refine your Self-Assessment and Goals. Individual Meetings.

HOMEWORK

Test #4 Section 2 (Critical Reading) pp 576 – 580Section 3 (Math) pp 581 - 586

Wednesday, June 30Time Activity

9:00 – 9:30 Go over homework. Move to rooms 203 - 204

9:30 – 10:30 Room 203: Discuss Math StrategiesMath Group WorkIndividual meetings

9:30 – 10:30 Room 204: Discuss Reading Comprehension/Writing Strategies Reading Comprehension/Writing Group WorkIndividual meetings

10:30- 10:45 Break.

10:45 – 11:45 Trade rooms to continue working with strategies OR Computer Lab Time on Collegeboard.com, Quizlet, or Grockit; Individual meetings.

HOMEWORK Test #4 Section 5 (Writing) pp 587 – 592Section 6 (Math) pp 593 - 598

Thursday, July 1Time Activity

9:00 – 9:30 Go over homework.

9:30 – 9:45 Break.

9:45 – 12:00 Take Practice PSAT (5 sections) ( 2 hours 10 minutes, with short breaks)

Friday, July 2Time Activity

9:00 – 9:45 Score & Analyze Practice Test.Discussion.

9:45 – 10:00 Plan fall followup sessions.

10:00 – 10:15 Break

10:30 – 11:30 Students fill out evaluation form.Closing activities.

11:30 – 12:00 Individual meetings

Table of ContentsI. The PSATII. Our TextbookIII. Scoring the PSATIV. The SATV. The ACTVI. Your responsibilities – a checklistVII. The Math Portion of the PSAT

I. The PSATWhy is the test called the PSAT/NMSQT?

The “P” in PSAT stands for “preliminary.”

So, first and foremost, the PSAT is the Preliminary AT. As such, its job is to familiarize students with the types of questions that are on the SAT and to help students assess their strengths and weaknesses.

PSAT/NMSQTThe PSAT also serves as the National Merit

Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). Approximately 50,000 students nationally gain recognition in the NMSQT competition by their scores on the PSAT.

This represents the top 4-5% of those who take the test.

Our hope that everyone in this room will become a National Merit Finalist and that this course will help you do so.

How can the PSAT help me?It will help you gauge your potential scores on the

SATIt will give you some idea of which colleges you

should apply to in your senior year.It will give you access to scholarship competitions.It will give you practice in answering multiple-

choice questions, where timing is an important factor.

You may choose to take advantage of the College Board’s Student Search Service, by which you will receive mail from colleges and search programs.

What makes the PSAT different from other Tests?The PSAT is trying to measure your ability to

reason using facts that are part of your general knowledge or facts that are included in your test booklet. You are not required to recall any history or literature or science. You are not even required to recall most math formulas –t hey are printed right in the test booklet.

PSAT ScoreYour score depends on how many correct

answers you get within a definite period of time. You can’t go too slowly; however, accuracy is even more important than speed. You have to pace yourself carefully.

The biggest mistake most students make is to answer too many questions. It is better to answer fewer questions correctly, even if you have to leave some out at the end of a section.

When can I take the PSAT?

The PSAT/NMSQT is administered on the third Saturday of October and the preceding Wednesday.

Wednesday October 13, 2010 at CHHS and GHS

Saturday, October 16, 2010 at other locations

How can I register for the PSAT?

All 10th grade CHHS and GHS students will take the PSAT in October, 2009 during the school day on Wednesday, October 13.

9th and 11th graders who sign up for the PSAT may also take it that day.

What's on the PSAT?

Like the SAT, the PSAT doesn't ask you to recall specific information from your course work, such as dates in history; instead, it tests the critical reading, math problem-solving, and writing skills that you've developed in school.

Does the PSAT play a role in College Admissions?No. The PSAT plays no role in college

admissions. It’s really just a practice test for the SAT.

The one exception is for that very small group of students, about 4 percent of all students nationwide, whose PSAT scores qualify them for National Merit recognition. Recognition as a commended scholar, semifinalist, or finalist for National Merit is an impressive addition to your college admissions portfolio.

What happens to the Score Report from the PSAT?Only you, your high school, and the National

Merit Scholarship Corporation will receive copies of your score reports. They won’t be sent to colleges.

Will a bad PSAT score hurt my college applications?The PSAT is not a criterion for college

admission, so taking the test can only help you.

How is the PSAT structured and timed?

Section Length Question Type # of Questions

Math Two

25-minute sections

· Multiple Choice· Grid-Ins

· 28· 10

Critical Reading

Two

25-minute sections

· Sentence Completion· Reading Comprehension

· 13· 35

Writing Skills

One

30-minute section

· Identifying Sentence  Errors· Improving Sentences· Improving Paragraphs

· 14

· 20· 5

PSAT vs SAT SAT PSAT

Structure 10 sections 5 sections

Length 3 hours 45 minutes 2 hours 10 minutes

Purpose College Admissions NMSQT

Scoring 2400 Selection index out of 240

Will my SAT score rise if I take the PSAT as a sophomore and junior?YES! Taking the PSAT can help raise your

SAT score. Based on the recent College Board SAT 2006 report, students who took the PSAT in their sophomore and junior years scored a combined 233 points higher than students who did not take the PSAT at all.

What's so important about the PSAT?

Taking—and preparing for—the PSAT can help you:

Gain familiarity with the SAT and acquire test-taking skills

Compare your test performance with students across the country

Qualify for National Merit Scholarships and other awards