How does the PSAT differ from the SAT Reasoning Test?
The PSAT was designed to be a warm-up for the SAT, but it has taken on an importance of its own because of its use by the National Merit program. Both the PSAT and SAT have a writing section; however, despite the name of the section, there is no writing involved on the PSAT — it is actually a multiple-choice grammar test, including word choice and usage, sentence errors and paragraph improvements. Eligibility for the National Merit program is determined by the Selection Index, which is the sum of a student’s score on the math, critical reading and writing skills sections.
