PSAT practice test: free practice for the PSAT/NMSQT
The PSAT/NMSQT has the same structure and timing as the digital SAT: Reading and Writing (54 questions in 64 minutes) and Math (44 questions in 70 minutes), each in two adaptive modules. It is scored 320 to 1520. Our free SAT-style practice test runs one full module of each section at that pace, so it trains exactly the skills the PSAT tests, and 11th graders' scores decide National Merit recognition.
- 320–1520
- PSAT/NMSQT score range
- 98
- questions, same as the SAT
- 48–228
- Selection Index range
- Free
- practice, no sign-up
Last checked · From College Board and NMSC pages, read 22 October 2026
49
questions
67 min
time limit
Free
instant score
Two timed parts, each on its own clock: Reading and Writing, 27 questions in 32 minutes, then Math, 22 questions in 35 minutes. A part's clock starts when you begin it, and you cannot go back to an earlier part.
By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated · How we check facts · How this is scored
Is the PSAT the same as the SAT?
Almost. The PSAT/NMSQT has the same sections, modules, question types and clocks as the digital SAT, taken in the same Bluebook app. Its hardest questions are a little less hard, which is why its scale tops out at 1520 instead of 1600.
| PSAT/NMSQT | SAT | |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 54 questions, 64 minutes | 54 questions, 64 minutes |
| Math | 44 questions, 70 minutes | 44 questions, 70 minutes |
| Section scores | 160 to 760 | 200 to 800 |
| Total score | 320 to 1520 | 400 to 1600 |
| Who takes it | Mostly 10th and 11th graders, at school, in the fall | Mostly 11th and 12th graders |
| What it is for | Practice, and National Merit for 11th graders | College admissions |
Because the format is the same, every hour of PSAT practice is SAT practice too. That is why we do not build a separate PSAT test: the SAT-style mock above, at the same module pace, is the right practice for both.
How does the PSAT decide National Merit?
For 11th graders, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation uses the Selection Index: (2 × Reading and Writing + Math) ÷ 10, from 48 to 228. Each state has its own qualifying cutoff for Semifinalists, set each year.
SAT-style question 1 · Selection Index
A junior scores 690 in Reading and Writing and 710 in Math on the PSAT/NMSQT. What is the Selection Index?
- A209
- B140
- C1400
- D210
Worked answer
A: 209. Selection Index = (2 × 690 + 710) ÷ 10 = (1380 + 710) ÷ 10 = 2090 ÷ 10 = 209.
- Double Reading and Writing: 2 × 690 = 1380.
- Add Math: 1380 + 710 = 2090.
- Divide by 10: 209.
The trap: Adding the two scores (1400) or dividing that by 10 (140): Reading and Writing counts twice.
Because Reading and Writing counts twice, it is worth more than Math for National Merit. A student strong in Math but weaker in Reading and Writing gains the most from drilling the four Reading and Writing domains. NMSC publishes the rules; the state cutoffs change each year, so check the current figures from NMSC or your school counselor rather than an old list.
Practise for the PSAT and the SAT at once
Eight SAT-style mocks at the real module pace and 32 domain drills: the same skills, the same clocks.
The SAT Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 32 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.
Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The SAT Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.
- 8
- timed mocks
- 32
- topic drills
- 1
- score predictor
What is on the PSAT?
The same eight domains as the SAT: Craft and Structure, Information and Ideas, Standard English Conventions and Expression of Ideas in Reading and Writing; Algebra, Advanced Math, Problem-Solving and Data Analysis, and Geometry and Trigonometry in Math.
| Domain | Share of the section | In our module | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft and Structure | about 28% | 8 | Words in context, the structure and purpose of a text, and how two texts on one topic relate |
| Information and Ideas | about 26% | 7 | Central ideas and details, textual and quantitative (table) evidence, and inferences |
| Standard English Conventions | about 26% | 7 | Sentence boundaries, punctuation, agreement, verb forms, possessives and plurals |
| Expression of Ideas | about 20% | 5 | Transitions and rhetorical synthesis from a student's notes |
| Domain | Share of the section | In our module | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algebra | about 35% | 8 | Linear equations, linear functions, systems of two equations and linear inequalities |
| Advanced Math | about 35% | 8 | Quadratics, exponentials, polynomials, rational and radical expressions, nonlinear systems |
| Problem-Solving and Data Analysis | about 15% | 3 | Ratios, rates, units, percentages, tables, statistics and probability |
| Geometry and Trigonometry | about 15% | 3 | Area and volume, lines and angles, triangles, right-triangle trigonometry and circles |
How should I practise for the PSAT?
Take a timed mock to find your weakest domains, drill them, and take one official practice test in Bluebook, where College Board offers PSAT practice as well as SAT practice.
- Take the free SAT-style mock at the top of this page: one full module of each section at the real pace.
- Drill your two weakest domains on the [SAT Reading and Writing](/sat-reading-and-writing-practice-test) and [SAT Math](/sat-math-practice-test) pages.
- Take an official PSAT practice test in Bluebook for a scaled score.
- If you are a junior aiming for National Merit, spend extra time on Reading and Writing, which counts twice.
The PSAT also gives you a free look at your SAT readiness. A PSAT score converts roughly onto the SAT scale because they share a vertical scale, so a strong PSAT usually means a strong SAT a year later with the same preparation. For the full SAT, see the SAT test guide.
What are the PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9?
They are other tests in the same SAT Suite. The PSAT 10 is the same test as the PSAT/NMSQT, given in the spring to 10th graders; the PSAT 8/9 is a version for 8th and 9th graders. Only the PSAT/NMSQT taken in 11th grade counts for National Merit.
Schools choose which of these to offer, and many give them on a school day at no cost to students. They all report on one shared scale with the SAT, so a score on any of them shows how close you are to your SAT goal.
For younger students, the point of the PSAT 8/9 or PSAT 10 is a first look at the format and a list of skills to build, not a high-stakes score. A 10th grader who finds a weak domain on the PSAT 10 has a full year to fix it before the PSAT/NMSQT that counts for National Merit.
What does my practice result tell me about the PSAT?
Your percent right and domain scores show where your points are going on SAT-style questions, which are PSAT-style questions too. They are not a PSAT score: the real test is adaptive and College Board does not publish the conversion.
Use the domain scores to choose what to drill. A low Standard English Conventions score is the fastest to fix; a low Advanced Math score takes longer, so start it early. Take an official Bluebook practice test for a number on the 320 to 1520 scale.
If you want the gap between the PSAT and SAT scales explained, the SAT score calculator covers SAT section scores and benchmarks, and the sample questions show every domain worked step by step.
Frequently asked questions
Is the PSAT harder than the SAT?
Does the PSAT count for college admissions?
How is the National Merit Selection Index calculated?
Is the PSAT on paper?
Is this the official PSAT?
Walk into the PSAT ready, and the SAT after it
Eight full SAT-style mocks, 32 domain drills, every answer explained and a printable study guide, in one payment.
The SAT Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 32 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.
Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The SAT Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.
- 8
- timed mocks
- 32
- topic drills
- 1
- score predictor