Written By Andie Pinga
Taking the SAT can be a big investment. Not only can it be pretty costly with testing fees, tutoring sessions, and prep books, but requires a lot of time and effort focused on one test. The investment pays off, however, as the SAT is an important measure considered by college admissions committees.
One of the best ways to adequately prepare and succeed on the SAT is to take the PSAT beforehand. Since your score on the PSAT will not be sent to any colleges, it offers a relatively low-stakes opportunity to scope out the test. Most importantly, your PSAT score is the best predictor for your SAT score. This is invaluable information for you to decide if you’re ready to the take the SAT, what steps you should take to improve your score, and even which college acceptances are within reach.
PSAT vs SAT – What Is The Difference?
People are often confused about the difference between the two tests and for good reason. After all, their names are almost exactly the same—there’s just one extra letter for the PSAT. The two tests are very similar in format and question structure and ultimately measure college-readiness (if you are on track to perform well in college classes). There are several key differences, however, that you should be aware about.
What Is The PSAT?
The PSAT stands for the Preliminary SAT. It is exactly what the name says—it’s the test you can take before the SAT. The test was created as a preparation tool for the SAT and measures students’ knowledge and skills in Reading, Writing, and Math. It provides opportunities for students to start preparing and getting a feel for the SAT earlier on in high school.
There are three types of PSAT: PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, and the PSAT/NMSQT. The PSAT/NMSQT is the most well-known type, as 3.6 million students across the nation took the test in 2021. Students take the PSAT/NMSQT during their junior year of high school, and students can also qualify for the National Merit Scholarship program with their test score. This program offers millions of dollars in scholarships to rising high school seniors to go towards college costs. The PSAT 10 is taken by high school sophomores and the PSAT 8/9 is taken by eighth and ninth graders.
The three PSAT tests are very similar. They all consist of four sections: Reading, Writing, Math with a calculator, and Math without a calculator. Students answer questions in multiple-choice format with four possible choices (some questions in the Math sections have grid-in responses). The types of skills in each section are the same across all types of the PSAT. For example, in the Math section, basic algebra and linear equations are tested. In the writing section, students apply grammar rules and writing conventions.
What differs between the tests is that they are catered to different grade levels, so question content varies in difficulty. Eighth and ninth grade students are not expected to have a complex understanding yet of statistics than an eleventh grader would. Another difference is that the PSAT 8/9 is slightly shorter than the other two types of tests in length and score range. The PSAT 8/9 lasts 2 hours and 25 minutes, which is 20 minutes shorter than the PSAT 10 and PSAT/NMSQT. The score range of the PSAT is between 240 and 1440, whereas the scores ranges for the PSAT 10 and PSAT/NMSQT is between 320 to 1520.
What Is The SAT?
The SAT is taken by high school juniors and seniors. Most commonly, juniors will take the test in their spring semester and seniors in their fall semester. Submitting your SAT score is often a requirement for college applications, though some universities are becoming test-optional. The score is an important metric considered by admissions committees as it measures student readiness for college-level study and work. It is also a standardized metric that committees can use to compare various applicants coming from different schools, especially since aspects like GPA, class difficulty, and class availability can differ from school to school.
The SAT is almost exactly the same to the PSAT in terms of structure and format. There are four sections: Reading, Writing, Math with a calculator, and Math without a calculator. There questions are almost all multiple choice, with a few grid-in questions for Math. The topics and skills tested are exactly the same, except a bit more challenging than the PSAT/NMSQT.
One major difference is that the SAT is offered throughout the entire school year, whereas the PSAT is often only offered once a year. Thus, students can also retake the SAT as many times as they would like (provided they are willing to pay the $55 fee). Another difference is that the SAT is a bit longer than the PSAT, clocking in at 3 hours (or 3 hours and 50 minutes with the optional essay). The score range is also higher—between 400 and 1600 for the SAT.
PSAT To SAT Score Conversion Chart
Because the score ranges differ between the two tests it is not immediately obvious how one score translates to another. If you want to predict your SAT score using your PSAT score, you will have to use a conversion table. The conversion table also takes into account that the SAT is more challenging, meaning that a perfect score on the PSAT will not be equal to a perfect score on the SAT.
Use this conversion chart to see what your total score on the PSAT predicts what you would get on the SAT.
| PSAT Scores | SAT Scores |
| 400 | 630 |
| 410 | 640 |
| 420 | 650 |
| 430 | 650 |
| 440 | 660 |
| 450 | 670 |
| 460 | 680 |
| 470 | 690 |
| 480 | 700 |
| 490 | 700 |
| 500 | 710 |
| 510 | 720 |
| 520 | 730 |
| 530 | 740 |
| 540 | 750 |
| 550 | 760 |
| 560 | 760 |
| 570 | 770 |
| 580 | 780 |
| 590 | 790 |
| 600 | 800 |
| 610 | 810 |
| 620 | 810 |
| 630 | 820 |
| 640 | 830 |
| 650 | 840 |
| 660 | 850 |
| 670 | 860 |
| 680 | 870 |
| 690 | 870 |
| 700 | 880 |
| 710 | 890 |
| 720 | 900 |
| 730 | 910 |
| 740 | 920 |
| 750 | 920 |
| 760 | 930 |
| 770 | 940 |
| 780 | 950 |
| 790 | 960 |
| 800 | 970 |
| 810 | 970 |
| 820 | 980 |
| 830 | 990 |
| 840 | 1000 |
| 850 | 1010 |
| 860 | 1020 |
| 870 | 1030 |
| 880 | 1030 |
| 890 | 1040 |
| 900 | 1050 |
| 910 | 1060 |
| 920 | 1070 |
| 930 | 1080 |
| 940 | 1080 |
| 950 | 1090 |
| 960 | 1100 |
| 970 | 1110 |
| 980 | 1120 |
| 990 | 1130 |
| 1000 | 1140 |
| 1010 | 1140 |
| 1020 | 1150 |
| 1030 | 1160 |
| 1040 | 1170 |
| 1050 | 1180 |
| 1060 | 1190 |
| 1070 | 1190 |
| 1080 | 1200 |
| 1090 | 1210 |
| 1100 | 1220 |
| 1110 | 1230 |
| 1120 | 1240 |
| 1130 | 1240 |
| 1140 | 1250 |
| 1150 | 1260 |
| 1160 | 1270 |
| 1170 | 1280 |
| 1180 | 1290 |
| 1190 | 1300 |
| 1200 | 1300 |
| 1210 | 1310 |
| 1220 | 1320 |
| 1230 | 1330 |
| 1240 | 1340 |
| 1250 | 1350 |
| 1260 | 1350 |
| 1270 | 1360 |
| 1280 | 1370 |
| 1290 | 1380 |
| 1300 | 1390 |
| 1310 | 1400 |
| 1320 | 1410 |
| 1330 | 1410 |
| 1340 | 1420 |
| 1350 | 1430 |
| 1360 | 1440 |
| 1370 | 1450 |
| 1380 | 1460 |
| 1390 | 1460 |
| 1400 | 1470 |
| 1410 | 1480 |
| 1420 | 1490 |
| 1430 | 1500 |
| 1440 | 1510 |
| 1450 | 1510 |
| 1460 | 1520 |
| 1470 | 1530 |
| 1480 | 1540 |
| 1490 | 1550 |
| 1500 | 1560 |
| 1510 | 1570 |
| 1520 | 1570 |
I’ve Converted My Score — Now What?
Now that you know what your predicted SAT score is, here are a few action steps you can take to make the most out of this new information:
- Figure out your score goals. Though colleges often do not have test score cutoffs for applicants, most schools publish statistics for their incoming classes with the mean standardized test scores. These scores are valuable to consider when applying to that college. Ideally, you will want to be at or above the average score to maximize your chances of acceptance. You should compare your predicted SAT score to the average test scores to colleges you are planning to apply to. If your score is way above the average, it means that you will have to invest a lot of preparation to improve and get it up to par or maybe reconsider sending in an application there in the first place. Once you’ve assessed all of this information, you can keep a score goal in mind for when you take the SAT.
- Check your schedule and sign up for the SAT. For most students, the SAT is not a test that you can take without studying for or that you can even cram for in one night. Preparing for the SAT can be a monthslong process, and signing up for tests also needs to be done in advance. High school is busy—you’re juggling extra-curriculars, work, and social life on top of school. Check your calendar to see what the optimal test date is for you. Ideally, you would have at least 2-3 months of consistent studying before taking the test. If you know you’re taking hard classes one semester or have a lot of things going on for your clubs, it’s probably not the best time to add on SAT prep as well. Summer break is usually a good time where you can prepare for the SAT without becoming overly stressed or worse, burnt out.
- Make a study plan. Once you’ve figured out your test date, the only thing left is to make a study plan and stick with it. Students prepare for the SAT in countless different ways, and there are a plethora of resources and extra help available if you need it. It’s important to know your own study habits and to choose the methods that are the most efficient for you. Additionally, your study plan should be informed by your PSAT score. Your PSAT score report will provide a breakdown of your performance by section, skill, and even by question. Use this report to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses and tailor your study plan accordingly to be the most effective it can be.
Tips To Prepare For The Tests And Maximize Your Performance
Practice On Old Exams
Taking the PSAT is the best possible preparation tool for the SAT because it is the closest simulation to what the actual test will be like. The PSAT, however, can only be taken once a year, so the next best tool is to practice on old exams. College Board publishes past official SATs on their website. It’s important to study with questions from the actual test and to get a feel for the overall format and rhythm. Before you take the actual SAT, you should’ve taken at least one practice exam in one sitting. Try to emulate testing conditions as much as possible—stick to the time limit and practice answering questions under stress.
Reward Yourself
Preparing for the SAT can be a long and arduous task. It’s important to take a step back at points and reward yourself for all the hard work you’re putting in. This will help to prevent burnout and also hopefully make the process a little more enjoyable. The rewards can be as big or small as you’d like. Treat yourself to your favorite meal or snack whenever you finish a practice exam. Schedule time to meet up with friends after study sessions as a way to destress. Throw a party for yourself after you take the SAT. You deserve it.
Ask For Help
Almost every college student in the US has taken the SAT, so there are plenty of knowledge going around. There are tons of free online resources and courses available, as well as many paid options. Going at it alone and refusing any outside help will only hurt yourself—there is a ton of knowledge out there that has been proven to improve students’ scores! Take advantage of it.
Start Preparing For SAT And PSAT Tests Today With Us
Looking on the best way to prepare for the SAT or PSAT? Aiming for a specific score goal? Check out SoFlo SAT tutoring for expert help on the SAT and PSAT at all grade levels. All of our tutors attend top universities around the nation and scored in the 99th percentile on their SAT. They will work one-on-one on you to identify and improve your weak areas and increase your chances of getting your target score. Our tutors schedule to sessions to your availability and our costs start at $60/hour. Check out our tutoring services to book a session!
About The Author
Andie Pinga is an expert SoFlo tutor and a recent graduate from the University of Pennsylvania double-majoring in Economics and Anthropology. She scored a 35 on her ACT, and when she’s not studying on campus or hanging out with friends, Andie enjoys rock climbing and playing the guitar.
