National Merit is a number.
We aim at that number.
The PSAT is the test most families ignore until it has already mattered. Junior-year October decides National Merit, and National Merit decides scholarship money. The plan starts from your state's cutoff.
PSAT tutoring isn't open yet. The waitlist is free and first come, first served; members hear first and get first pick of diagnostic slots.
Taught by Rick, founder, 99th percentile. One tutor in every session.
What the PSAT rewards.
Reading and Writing counts double
The National Merit Selection Index weights Reading and Writing twice. A plan that treats the two sections equally is leaving the easiest scholarship points on the table.
Your state's cutoff is knowable
Cutoffs vary by state, roughly 207 to 223 in recent years, and Texas sits near the top. We tell you the number in the first call and build backward from it.
Start early, finish early
Sophomores who start in spring hit the junior-year PSAT with every question type cold. The SAT the following March becomes a formality, and the whole testing season ends a year early.
The PSAT, section by section.
| Section | Questions and time | What it tests | Where points leak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 54 q, 64 min 2 modules of 32 min | Same question types as the SAT: transitions, synthesis, boundaries, words in context | Every miss costs double in the Selection Index |
| Math | 44 q, 70 min 2 modules of 35 min | Algebra, advanced math, data analysis, geometry and trig, slightly below the SAT ceiling | Careless errors, nonlinear functions, hard-module exposure |
Format from collegeboard.org. Pink marks where students most often lose points.
Where PSAT points go.
Your diagnostic shows which of these are yours. Usually two.
- 1
Not knowing the Selection Index exists
Most families find out about the Selection Index after the test. By then the only year that counts is over. The PSAT is a scholarship test, and it should be prepared as one.
- 2
Treating the PSAT as practice
It is practice for sophomores. For juniors it is the only National Merit sitting. There is no retake.
- 3
Equal time on both sections
With Reading and Writing counting double, one RW miss costs as much as two Math misses. The plan should be weighted the same way.
- 4
Starting in September
The test is in October. A September start can fix habits, not build them. Spring of sophomore year is the right time.
What a PSAT program looks like.
Diagnostic and target
Full-length digital diagnostic. Selection Index target set from your state's recent cutoffs. Plan weighted toward Reading and Writing.
Build the foundation
Weekly sessions through the summer. Every RW question type learned as a template. Math content gaps closed without school in the way.
Proctored tests
Weekly proctored PSAT and SAT practice. Hard-module exposure. Pacing locked in.
Test week
Dress rehearsal, protocol, and the test. Then straight into SAT preparation with everything already built.
PSAT questions.
What score do we need for National Merit?
It depends on the state. The Selection Index (2 x Reading and Writing + Math, divided by 10) needs to clear your state's cutoff, which has ranged roughly from 207 to 223 recently. Texas is typically near the top of that range. We tell you the target number in the first call.
Is National Merit actually worth money?
Often a lot. Finalists receive scholarships from the program itself and, more importantly, large automatic awards from many universities, in some cases full tuition. For a strong student it can be the highest-return test they ever take.
Does PSAT prep help with the SAT?
They are the same test with a slightly lower ceiling. Everything built for the PSAT transfers directly, which is why our PSAT students usually take the SAT once the following spring and are done.
Should a sophomore prepare?
If National Merit is realistic (strong grades, a sophomore PSAT around 1300+), yes. Sophomore spring is the ideal start for the junior-year test.
Is PSAT tutoring open?
Not yet. It is waitlist only while the program is built to the same standard as the rest. If the student will also take the SAT, the first SAT hour is free now, and everything built for the SAT transfers to the PSAT.
Join the PSAT waitlist.
PSAT tutoring isn't open yet. Leave your details and target test date and you'll hear first when it opens, with first pick of diagnostic slots. Free, no commitment.