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PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) Syllabus
Practice version of the SAT taken by high schoolers that also qualifies students for National Merit Scholarships.. The complete PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) outline — 8 subjects, 28 chapters and 91 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
4 chapters · 14 topics · 26 sub-topics
Reading and Craft & Structure3 chapters · 9 topics · 15 sub-topics
Writing and Expression of Ideas3 chapters · 9 topics · 13 sub-topics
Writing and Standard English Conventions3 chapters · 12 topics · 21 sub-topics
Math: Algebra4 chapters · 12 topics · 15 sub-topics
Math: Advanced Math3 chapters · 10 topics · 17 sub-topics
Math: Problem-Solving and Data Analysis4 chapters · 12 topics · 16 sub-topics
Math: Geometry and Trigonometry4 chapters · 13 topics · 16 sub-topics
PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) flashcard decks
401 question-and-answer cards across 8 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
- Reading and Information & Ideas — 50 cards
- Reading and Craft & Structure — 50 cards
- Writing and Expression of Ideas — 50 cards
- Writing and Standard English Conventions — 51 cards
- Math: Algebra — 50 cards
- Math: Advanced Math — 50 cards
- Math: Problem-Solving and Data Analysis — 50 cards
- Math: Geometry and Trigonometry — 50 cards
How to work through the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: Reading and Information & Ideas carries 14 topics while Writing and Expression of Ideas carries 9. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test).
The ~95 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) syllabus?
PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) covers 8 subjects: Reading and Information & Ideas, Reading and Craft & Structure, Writing and Expression of Ideas, Writing and Standard English Conventions, Math: Algebra, Math: Advanced Math, Math: Problem-Solving and Data Analysis and Math: Geometry and Trigonometry. Together they contain 28 chapters and 91 named topics.
How much do you have to study for PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test)?
The full PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) outline breaks down into 28 chapters, 91 topics and 139 sub-topics. Reading and Information & Ideas is the largest single subject with 14 topics across 4 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) syllabus?
Roughly 95 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 5 weeks.
Are there PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) flashcards?
Yes — 401 question-and-answer flashcards across 8 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too, in United States and everywhere else. No account is needed to start.
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