Dalby's PSAT Preparation

Why should I take a PSAT course? There are several reasons you should consider taking a PSAT course.

First, the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). If you are a high scorer, then you probably know that the PSAT is also the NMSQT. The National Merit scholarship is not only a source of money but it is also an extremely prestigious award. To qualify you need to score a total of about 218 (the number changes year to year) on the three sections of the PSAT; for example a score of 71 reading, 73 math, and 74 writing would add up to 218. Many of our students qualify for the merit scholarship because they prepared with us.

Second, a possible need for long-term preparation. If you are a really good student scoring low on the PSAT, you may need to do long-term preparation to get scores that match your GPA. We recommend that students who fit this profile take the PSAT course in the fall of their junior year and then take Dalby’s SAT class for the spring SAT test.

Third, score choice. A student has nothing to lose and a lot to gain by taking the October SAT in his junior year because the College Board now offers score choice. Highly motivated students can even have a few private tutoring sessions in addition to the PSAT class to review more thoroughly for the October SAT. Imagine getting done with the SAT in the fall of your junior year! ALL STUDENTS, whether high, average, or low scorers, should consider taking the October SAT in their junior year, even if they don’t have time to prepare.

WHY? Because score choice allows you to pick and choose which scores to send to colleges. Also, the October SAT is a published test, which means you can order the Q&A (Question and Answer) service and get a copy of the test and your answers. This caveat: some schools require that you send all your scores and leave it to you (and your integrity) to do as they ask. Double check with the schools you are considering to see what their policy is. Also verify if they "super score" the test scores. Super scoring is taking the best single score from multiple tests to combine for a higher total score.

Since the College Board switched to the three-part SAT (adding in a writing/grammar component), we have noticed a large minority of students do badly (compared to the PSAT) on the first SAT they take. For these students the length of the test is just too much and the testers need to figure out how to maintain their energy levels throughout the 3 hour and 45 minute test (the students arrive at 7:45am and leave around 1pm). College Board will not admit this is a problem but in our experience we see a significant drop in scores from PSAT (a 2 hour 15 minute test) to the SAT (this is with students who have not done preparation in between). Our clients come to us because they need help, so it is possible our group is self-selecting, but it is a real issue that needs to be addressed in preparation.

What is the time commitment? We are offering students a four-week course for the PSAT. The course consists of a full 2 hour and 15 minute PSAT diagnostic pre-test, four weekly instructional classes lasting 2 hours, and four additional full tests. Class size is limited to 10 students or fewer. We group the students by math ability so the time is used very efficiently.

How much can a student improve by taking a PSAT class? Generally speaking the easiest area to improve is the writing, followed by the math. The reading is the most area to improve because one is trying to build important skills (reading fluency and vocabulary strength) in a relatively short amount of time. (If a student needs extra reading review, we offer a flexible, optional, reading comprehension class.) Nevertheless, the conscientious student can attain excellent score improvement. A 200-point gain in four weeks is a common achievement.

What is the homework requirement? Our experience has shown that most students follow through erratically with homework; consequently the only homework is vocabulary study. We quiz students weekly on vocabulary and expect them to pass with a grade of 65% or better. Because some students are willing to do outside work to raise their scores, we will provide additional, appropriate materials for these students upon request.

The cost of the course is $750. (There is an early registration discount of $100. See class schedule for dates.) Additional private tutoring is $100 per full hour and $50 per half-hour. Private make-up classes are by appointment and cost $100. A full refund (minus $100 for the diagnostic test) is available up to two weeks before the beginning of the course. After the first class the refund is $350. There is no refund after the second class. We encourage only serious students to take this class. Click here for the schedule of classes.