PSAT 10 study plan
PSAT 10 · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Reading and Writing & Math
Take one full-length PSAT 10 practice test under timed conditions to establish a baseline score for both domains
Categorize every missed Reading and Writing question by skill type (evidence, structure, expression of ideas, standard English conventions) and log counts in a spreadsheet
Categorize every missed Math question by content area (algebra, advanced math, problem solving and data analysis, geometry and trigonometry) and log counts
Identify the three weakest skill clusters across both domains and rank them by number of missed questions
Your checkpoint
A baseline score report plus an error log spreadsheet listing every missed question tagged by domain, skill, and error cause
Reading and Writing
Drill 40 evidence-based reading questions, practicing the habit of predicting the answer before reading the choices
Drill 30 words-in-context questions and write a one-line justification for each correct and incorrect choice
Practice two paired-passage sets and articulate how the second passage responds to the first
Review every missed question from the week and rewrite the reasoning for the correct answer in your own words
Your checkpoint
A completed evidence and vocabulary drill packet with written justifications for 70 questions and a summary of the two most common error patterns
Reading and Writing
Drill 30 structure and purpose questions, identifying the function of each referenced sentence or paragraph
Drill 25 cross-text connection questions and map the relationship between paired passages
Practice 15 quantitative evidence questions (tables and graphs) and state what each figure shows in one sentence
Time yourself on two 25-minute Reading and Writing sections and record pacing per question
Your checkpoint
A timed two-section practice log with per-question pacing data and a written analysis of where time was lost
Reading and Writing & Math
Drill 40 standard English conventions items covering punctuation, subject-verb agreement, verb tense, and pronoun reference
Drill 30 expression of ideas items covering transitions, rhetorical synthesis, and concision
Re-drill 20 previously missed Reading and Writing questions from weeks 2 and 3 to confirm retention
Review the Math error log and select the top two Math content areas to prioritize in phase two
Your checkpoint
A mid-point Reading and Writing mastery sheet showing accuracy by skill cluster before and after re-drilling
Math
Drill 40 linear equations and inequalities problems, including word problems that require building an equation from context
Drill 25 systems of equations problems and practice both substitution and elimination
Drill 20 functions and interpretation-of-graphs problems, reading slope and intercept in context
Re-solve every missed problem from the week without notes and record the corrected method
Your checkpoint
A completed algebra problem set with a one-line method note beside each problem and an accuracy percentage for the set
Math
Drill 30 problem solving and data analysis problems covering ratios, percentages, rates, and unit conversion
Drill 20 statistics problems involving mean, median, range, and reading data from tables and graphs
Drill 20 geometry problems covering area, volume, angles, and the Pythagorean theorem
Practice 10 questions that require interpreting a scatterplot or line of best fit and write the meaning of the trend in context
Your checkpoint
A data and geometry problem set with a written interpretation for every graph-based question and an accuracy percentage
Math
Drill 25 advanced math problems involving quadratics, exponents, and polynomial manipulation
Drill 15 geometry and trigonometry problems involving right-triangle ratios and circle relationships
Practice 20 mixed-topic sets under a strict time limit to build calculator and no-calculator fluency
Re-drill 20 previously missed Math questions from weeks 5 and 6 to confirm retention
Your checkpoint
A timed mixed-topic Math set with a score report and a list of the remaining three weakest Math skills
Reading and Writing & Math
Take two full-length timed practice tests and score both domains
Review every missed question from both tests and classify each error as content gap, misread, or pacing
Re-drill the highest-frequency error type across both domains
Finalize a one-page formula and grammar rules reference sheet to review the night before the test
Your checkpoint
A final score comparison against the week 1 baseline with a written summary of improvement by domain and remaining risk areas
Milestones
Week 4: Reading and Writing accuracy has improved by at least 10 percentage points over the week 1 baseline, and the top two Math priorities for phase two are identified
Week 6: Math accuracy on data analysis and geometry sets is at or above 70 percent, and all missed problems from weeks 5 and 6 have been re-solved correctly without notes
Week 8: Full-length practice test scores in both domains exceed the week 1 baseline, and every remaining error has been classified and addressed at least once