High school students take a handful of different tests on the way to a college application. Two of them come from the same place: the PSAT and the SAT. Knowing how they differ, why they matter, and when to take them makes the whole process considerably less stressful.
Both tests changed substantially in recent years, and so did the reason for taking them. Here’s where things actually stand.
What changed, and why it matters now
For a few years after 2020, it looked like standardized testing might quietly disappear. Hundreds of colleges dropped their requirements, and a lot of families reasonably concluded that these tests no longer mattered.
That has reversed. As of June 2026, all eight Ivy League schools have committed to requiring the SAT or ACT again, with Columbia the last to announce, beginning with the 2027-28 admissions cycle. Stanford and Georgetown have done the same. More than 2,000 institutions remain test-optional, and the University of California system remains test-blind for admissions — but at the most selective schools, the door has closed on skipping the test.
Two practical consequences for a student sitting the PSAT this fall:
- “Test-optional” is no longer a safe default assumption. Check the policy at each school on your list, and check it again the year you apply.
- At schools that remain test-optional, a strong submitted score still helps. Optional has never meant ignored.
An overview of the PSAT and SAT
The Preliminary SAT (PSAT) and the SAT are both administered by the College Board. The PSAT is a trial run for the SAT — same format, same style of content, lower stakes. The SAT is the one colleges see.
Both tests are now fully digital. Students still go to a test center, but the exam is taken on a laptop or tablet through the College Board’s Bluebook app. Paper administration has been phased out. The digital format returns scores faster and adapts to the student as they work, which we’ll come back to.
Four differences between the PSAT and SAT
Purpose
The SAT is a college entrance exam. Admissions offices weigh it when deciding whether to admit you. The PSAT exists to get you ready for it — and, in one specific case, to qualify you for scholarship money.
There is one SAT but several PSATs. The PSAT 8/9 is for eighth and ninth graders. The PSAT 10 is for tenth graders. The PSAT/NMSQT — the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test — can be taken by tenth and eleventh graders, but only an eleventh grader’s score counts toward National Merit.
You can retake either test. A low PSAT score has no effect whatsoever on your college eligibility.
Scoring
The SAT is scored from 400 to 1600, with Reading and Writing and Math each scored from 200 to 800.
The PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 use a slightly lower ceiling: 320 to 1520 total, with each section scored from 160 to 760. The PSAT 8/9 runs lower still, from 240 to 1440.
For National Merit, the total score isn’t what counts. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation uses a separate figure called the Selection Index, calculated as (2 × Reading and Writing score + Math score) ÷ 10, on a scale from 48 to 228. Commended status typically falls around an index of 208, with Semifinalist cutoffs varying by state and generally landing between 207 and 223. A student aiming at National Merit should track the Selection Index, not the 1520 total.
Your PSAT score is a reasonable predictor of an unprepared SAT score — a 1200 PSAT suggests roughly a 1200 SAT if you do nothing between them. It’s a starting point, not a ceiling.
Difficulty
The SAT is harder, which is the point. PSAT questions tend to be more direct. SAT questions ask for more reasoning and offer less obvious answer choices.
Both tests are now multistage adaptive, and this changes how difficulty works. Each section splits into two modules. The first contains a mix of easy, medium and hard questions. Your performance on it determines the difficulty of the second — do well and you get a harder second module, which is what unlocks the upper score range. This means early accuracy matters more than it did on the paper test, and there is no benefit to rushing module one to save time for later.
Cost
The SAT costs $70 to register, with a late registration fee of $34. The PSAT/NMSQT fee is set by individual schools and is typically around $18, though many schools cover it entirely. Fee waivers are available for eligible students, and they cover both.
Four similarities between the PSAT and SAT
Content
Because the PSAT is a trial run, both tests use very similar question wording and style. Both have two sections:
- Reading and Writing — reading comprehension, plus grammar, punctuation and sentence structure
- Math — algebra, advanced math, problem solving and data analysis, and geometry and trigonometry
A calculator is permitted on the entire math section of both tests. Bluebook also includes a built-in Desmos graphing calculator. Students who learn to use it fluently have a real advantage, and students who have never opened it before test day lose time discovering it.
Structure and length
Both the PSAT/NMSQT and the SAT now run 2 hours and 14 minutes, with 98 questions:
- Reading and Writing: 54 questions in 64 minutes
- Math: 44 questions in 70 minutes
Each section is split into two equal modules, with a 10-minute break between sections. That’s roughly 45 minutes shorter than the old paper SAT.
Question types
Both sections are mostly multiple choice. Math also includes student-produced response questions — “grid-ins” — where no answer choices are offered and the student works out and enters the answer directly.
There is no penalty for a wrong answer on either test. A blank guarantees zero; a guess gives you a chance. Always answer.
Preparation platform
Both tests are taken in Bluebook, and the College Board provides full-length adaptive practice tests inside the same app. Practicing on paper prepares you for the content but not the experience. Interface fluency — navigation, flagging questions, the built-in calculator and reference sheet — is part of preparation now.
One thing worth knowing: the Question-and-Answer Service, which let students order a copy of their actual test questions and answers, was discontinued in 2024 with the move to digital. It is not currently offered.
Prep for your exams with Alexander Tutoring
Both exams matter more in 2026 than they did in 2022. Colleges see your SAT score; both tests can put National Merit money on the table.
Our tutors are working mathematicians, physicists and engineers — not test-prep script readers. That matters more on an adaptive test than it used to, because a student who genuinely understands the material handles a harder second module, and a student who has memorized question patterns does not.
We build the plan around your student’s actual diagnostic results, not a generic curriculum. Learn more about our SAT and ACT tutoring.
FAQs about the PSAT and SAT
Is the PSAT easier than the SAT?
Yes. The PSAT is an introduction to the SAT, with more straightforward questions and a lower score ceiling. It exists to familiarize students with the format and to give an honest read on where they stand.
Who needs to take the PSAT?
Any student planning to take the SAT benefits from it. Sophomores and juniors most commonly sit the PSAT/NMSQT — and for juniors, it’s the only route to National Merit consideration.
Do colleges see my PSAT score?
No. Colleges see SAT scores, not PSAT scores. The PSAT is diagnostic, with the single exception of National Merit recognition.
Is the SAT still required?
It depends where you’re applying, and the answer has been moving. Every Ivy League school, plus Stanford and Georgetown, has reinstated the requirement. Many other colleges remain test-optional, and the University of California system does not consider scores for admissions at all. Check each school’s current policy — and expect it to change.
