PSAT
Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test
The PSAT, or Preliminary SAT, serves as valuable preparation for the SAT and offers potential college scholarships for high scorers. While the SAT is widely known, high school students should also acquaint themselves with the PSAT, which comes in three forms: the PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, and PSAT/NMSQT. All these tests are administered by the College Board.
The PSAT 8/9 is intended for eighth and ninth-grade students, providing a baseline assessment of college readiness according to the College Board. On the other hand, the PSAT 10 is designed for grade 10 students, while the PSAT/NMSQT, or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, is taken by Grade 10 or 11 students. Achieving high scores on the PSAT/NMSQT as a junior can qualify a student for a prestigious National Merit Scholarship, offering significant financial aid for college. In India, most students take the PSAT (in addition to the SAT) in grades 9 or 10th for the purpose of strengthening their profile for future college applications. PSAT is administered only once in India in the month of October.