The SAT’s top score is 800 math, 800 verbal, 800 writing. PSAT scores are 80,80,80 – so it’s hard to get the scores confused. (if you make 240 on PSAT, call Harvard. if you make 240 on SAT, call your recruiter)

In the PSAT and SAT, wrong answers count against you. You get 200 points on each score in SAT for signing your name and turning in a blank sheet. Since there are 4 possible answers on each question, you get +3 points for a right answer and -1 for a wrong answer. So if you guess without knowing anything, you’re score is 0 (that’s +3*1 right answer -1*3 for the three wrong answers – all with probability of .25).

If you can eliminate even one answer, it’s in your favor to guess.

ACT doesn’t penalize guessing. The top score in each of 4 areas (math, science, social science, verbal) is 36. The best thing to do is make sure you answer every question. Any, if you can eliminate even one wrong answer, that’s better.

There’s also a new writing section for ACT – most schools don’t require it. Check with the colleges you’re interested in. Unless you’re a great writer, I’d skip it (the SAT one too) because the 3 hrs you’re in test is long enough.

I don’t know your math sequence. You need to have taken algebra 2 and geometry.

The social sciences part of ACT is mostly a reading test. If you know the concepts being discussed, you can do well without ever have taken a course on that particular part of history. Two history courses plus American Government would be good.

It’s hard to say what’s best for science. Take the hardest science class you can each year and get a variety (not all biology).

Work to improve your vocabulary for verbal and for writing, if you decide to take it.

Take a practice test or three. You can find ACT and SAT books at the library that have practice tests in them.

Relax.

good luck.

You need to get some test prep books. Check out www.amazon.com for user reviews. I personally recommend The Official Guide to the SAT and The Real ACT Guide (or something like that). You don’t need a separate PSAT book because that info’s covered in the SAT book. There’s usually even a special section just for the PSAT, but it’s the same kinds of questions. Princeton Review is also pretty good.

Is it hard? You need to study and practice (yes, they are different things), but you can do it. Just start early.

ACT is nice in that answering a question incorrectly won’t hurt you or help you (so bubble in something for every question; you might get lucky). SAT penalizes you for answering a question by taking away 1/4 of a point. For both tests, leaving a question blank is worth 0 points and getting a question right is worth one point. After the raw scores are calculated, they are scaled. The SAT has three parts, and each is worth 200-800 points. Add them together for your total score. The ACT has four sections, 1-36 points. They also have 18-point subsections that don’t necessarily add up to the whole section’s score but are usually pretty close. The composite ACT grade is an average of the four sections. The PSAT is like the SAT, except you drop the final zero off of all the scores. That score is used for the National Merit Scholarship.

There are some different rules for the essays, but you can check out www.collegeboard.com and www.actstudent.org for more info. Also check out the wikipedia articles if you want for the SAT, PSAT, and ACT.