A few days ago
Dr. Mike

SAT v.s. PSAT studying?

Hi,

I am going into 11th grade and am going to be taking the PSAT and SAT in October, then the SAT again in the spring with the rest of my class.

I am more focused on the SAT because i want to get into schools like Duke, Cornell, and Johns Hopkins. So to my question, will it be effective to study solely for the SAT’s, or should I do practice tests for both the SAT and PSAT. I’ve looked through the books to tell but I would like some advice.

Thanks a lot.

Top 3 Answers
A few days ago
Tracey O

Favorite Answer

well… since the PSAT is a prep for teh SAT, you might as well just study the SAT. you have more invested in the SAT and to start studying for it as soon as you can will help you get into your dream school
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A few days ago
Anonymous
Ideally, you’re not supposed to study for the PSAT, its supposed to be a dry run that will show you your strengths and weaknesses regarding the SAT. After getting your PSAT scores, you then work on your weaknesses and prepare for the SAT, which is the real deal.

On the other hand, I took practice tests before the PSAT as a part of my overall preparation for the SAT. I got a 210 on the PSAT and then a 2150 on the SAT. So in the end, prepping for the PSAT didn’t hurt.

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A few days ago
lucy
It depends on how much time and energy you have. If you’re running short, just focus on the SAT, and don’t forget SAT IIs. (You need good scores on at least two of those for the schools you’re looking at.)

However, it’s always a good idea to study for the PSAT. If you’re above the 96th percentile in your state, you’ll become a semifinalist, which looks very impressive on your resume. If you study for one you’re sort of studying for both anyway; they have the same type of questions, except the PSAT has a grammar section and the SAT has an essay section.

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