PSAT and SAT

All Plano ISD 9th grade students take the PSAT 8/9. The test is made up of two sections: Reading and Writing and Math. Most questions are in a multiple choice format with some items in the math section requiring students to enter responses. The Reading and Writing section contains 54 questions to be taken in 64 minutes, and the math section contains 44 questions to be taken in 70 minutes. 

The PSAT 8/9 is delivered digitally via the College Board's testing platform, Bluebook. Read more from the College Board about PSAT 8/9 here.

All Plano ISD 10th grade students take the PSAT/NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). Additionally, 11th grade students have the option of taking the PSAT/NMSQT by submitting a small fee. For Juniors, the PSAT/NMSQT allows students to access scholarships and other recognitions by joining the roster of PISD's impressive number of National Merit Semifinalists and Finalists.

The test is made up of two sections: Reading and Writing and Math. Most questions are in a multiple choice format with some items in the math section requiring students to enter responses. The Reading and Writing section contains 54 questions to be taken in 64 minutes, and the math section contains 44 questions to be taken in 70 minutes. 

The PSAT/NMSQT is delivered digitally via the College Board's testing platform, Bluebook. Read more from the College Board about PSAT/NMSQT here.

Plano ISD participates in SAT School Day annually in March which provides senior high school juniors a free SAT administration at students' home campuses. 

The test is made up of two sections: Reading and Writing and Math. Most questions are in a multiple choice format with some items in the math section requiring students to enter responses. The Reading and Writing section contains 54 questions to be taken in 64 minutes, and the math section contains 44 questions to be taken in 70 minutes. Each section is divided into two modules of equal length; performance on the first module determines whether students experience either more difficult or less difficult questions in the second module.

The SAT is delivered digitally via the College Board's testing platform, Bluebook. Read more from the College Board about SAT here.

Students are encouraged to put forth their best effort when taking PSAT 8/9. Performance on PSAT administrations allows students to access valuable information about areas of focus in order to achieve higher scores on future administrations of either PSAT or SAT. 

Additionally, students meeting certain benchmarks for sections of the PSAT 8/9 are eligible for the following incentives:

• Spring semester exam waiver for English 
• Spring semester exam waiver for math 
• Superintendent's Scholar Recognition

College Readiness Benchmark Scores for PSAT 8/9:
Reading and Writing: 410 (out of possible 720)
Math: 450 (out of possible 720)
 

Students are encouraged to put forth their best effort when taking PSAT/NMSQT. Performance on PSAT administrations allows students to access valuable information about areas of focus in order to achieve higher scores on future administrations of either PSAT or SAT. Students take the PSAT/NMSQT as sophomores and can also elect to take the PSAT/NMSQT as juniors. Scores on the PSAT/NMSQT taken as juniors enter students into the eligibility pool for National Merit Scholarships.

Additionally, sophomores meeting certain benchmarks for sections of the PSAT/NMSQT are eligible for the following incentives:

• Spring semester exam waiver for English 
• Spring semester exam waiver for math 
• Superintendent's Scholar Recognition

College Readiness Benchmark Scores for PSAT/NMSQT (10th):
Reading and Writing: 430 (out of possible 760)
Math: 480 (out of possible 760)

In addition to being used for post-secondary admissions and scholarships, meeting benchmarks on sections of the SAT allow students to show that they are college ready according to criteria that make up part of the Texas Success Initiative, or TSI. All Plano ISD students are encouraged to graduate TSI-met through one or more of the following assessments: SAT, ACT, and TSIA-2. Students who meet TSI benchmarks in math and English on any of these assessments also earn their indicator for College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR), which is an expectation of all Plano ISD graduates.

Students who meet CCMR criteria (including through SAT) are eligible for the following incentives:

• Spring semester exam waivers in English and math courses
• Senior release period
• Graduation cord

Texas Success Initiative CCMR Benchmarks for SAT:
Reading and Writing: 480 (out of a possible 800)
Math: 530 (out of a possible 800)