When PSAT Tutoring Is Appropriate

If you are the parent of a student who is headed into the 11th grade, you will soon face a decision on whether to provide tutoring for your child prior to the PSAT. Given the importance of this decision, there are a few important points that we always discuss with our clients.

The PSAT is essentially a practice run for the SAT, and does not count in the college admissions process. Given this, the ultimate goal of PSAT prep is to improve your child's SAT scores next winter or spring. While PSAT tutoring is not necessary for every student, there are several situations when we recommend fall tutoring for the PSAT.

First - if your child has a history of struggling with standardized tests. The biggest benefit of PSAT prep is the additional time our PSAT students spend practicing test taking strategies and techniques. Like almost everything in life, the more you practice the better you get at taking the SAT. Beyond this, it sounds simple but another key benefit of PSAT tutoring is a stronger PSAT score. While this won't matter to colleges, it will impact your child's confidence in his or her test taking abilities. This, in turn, leads to better engagement with his or her tutor and a higher likelihood of strong scores on the SAT next winter or spring.

Second - if your child has a strong academic record and is a solid tester, he or she may score well enough on the PSAT to earn a National Merit Scholarship. This is a fantastic accolade to add to your child's college application, and if he or she has the potential to score highly, PSAT tutoring may be a very good investment.

If you are considering PSAT prep and want to learn more about our programs and philosophy, please click the link below.