What Has Changed in the PSAT: A 2025 Tutor’s Guide

As of fall 2023, the College Board moved from paper-based testing to a fully digital PSAT format. The move fundamentally changes how students prepare for and take this critical exam. For tutors, it is essential to understand these changes to maintain their relevance and continue to deliver results.

The digital PSAT is 31 minutes shorter and features adaptive difficulty levels. While the core academic skills remain the same, the delivery method, question formats, and scoring approach have been redesigned from the ground up.

The PSAT provides an opportunity to compete for scholarships and practice for the actual SAT. As a result, every change in the test is important for the students as well as the tutors.

This guide breaks down the digital PSAT changes and shows tutors how to adapt lesson plans and prep strategies effectively. We discuss how those changes impact your tutoring strategies, and what tutors can do to quickly adapt to the new format. 

But first, a quick review about the move from a traditional version.
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The move from paper-based to digital PSAT

All PSAT test-takers must use the digital format. With rare exceptions for specific accommodations, the paper-and-pencil version is no longer available. Understanding why this change occurred helps tutors explain the transition to students and parents.

The digital PSAT offers some unique advantages. Firstly, it’s part of the College Board’s digital strategy. It creates consistency with the digital SAT, which launched in March 2024. Digital delivery enables faster scoring and result distribution; scores are now available within 2-4 weeks. 

Moreover, computer-based testing allows the exam to adjust difficulty based on student performance, providing more precise scoring. Besides, schools no longer need to manage physical test booklets, answer sheets, or secure storage. 

To make sure no convenience of the paper-and-pencil version is missing, the digital PSAT comes with a set of tools that students can use throughout the test:

• Built-in calculator: A Desmos-based graphing calculator available throughout the entire Math section.
• Annotation tools: Students can highlight text and add notes directly on passages.
• Answer elimination: "Cross out" functionality to eliminate incorrect multiple-choice options.
• Question flagging: Mark questions for review and return to them easily.
• Timer management: Section timers with warnings as time expires.
• Zoom functionality: Adjust text size for better readability.

These tools are integral to the test-taking strategies students need to master for optimal performance.

Key changes in PSAT that tutors need to know

New test format and timing

The digital PSAT consists of two sections: Reading and Writing section, and the Math section. Each section has two modules: the base module and the adaptive module. 

Here is the breakup of the sections:

Shorter test duration

The paper-and-pencil version of the PSAT was 2 hours and 45 minutes long, while the new digital PSAT is shorter: 2 hours and 14 minutes. Consequently, the passages are also shorter. Reassure students that the shorter duration doesn't mean increased difficulty. It reflects a more efficient question design and eliminates transition time between sections.

Fewer questions but adaptive sections

Of the questions your students could ask you about what has changed in PSAT, the most significant one would be about the adaptive nature of the test.

The first module of both sections is the base module. The second module will adapt itself to the performance of the student in the base module of that section. If the student does well in the first module, they will see mostly difficult questions in the second module. On the other hand, if they perform below a certain threshold in the first module, the questions in their second module will be mostly easy.

In short,

Module 1 (routing module):

• All students receive the same mix of easy, medium, and hard questions.
• Performance determines the difficulty level of Module 2.

Module 2 (adaptive module):

• Higher performers → harder questions → potential for higher scores
• Lower performers → easier questions → still competitive scoring possible

Hence, although the number of questions in each section has dropped, the test more accurately reflects the student’s preparation and performance. Students who are served the difficult module will always end up getting a higher score in that section.

Note: Students shouldn't try to figure out which difficulty level they've been routed to during the test—this wastes valuable mental energy. Advise them to focus on maximizing performance on every question, regardless of perceived difficulty.

Changes in the Reading and Writing section

The digital PSAT changes for the Reading and Writing sections are significant. Here is a gist:

1. Overall, the passages are much shorter. Length ranges between 25 and 150 words (dramatically shorter than previous 500-750 word passages)
2. Each passage has one question.
3. The questions evaluating similar skills are bundled together.
4. All questions will be multiple-choice questions.
5. The difficulty level of the questions increases as the test proceeds. In other words, they are “arranged from easiest to hardest” as the official College Board website says.
6. Questions will test four domains: Craft and Structure, Information and Ideas, Standard English Conventions, and Expression of Ideas.
7. Some questions may be accompanied by a graphic required to provide additional information. No calculation will be required.
8. Unlike the Math section, this section has only multiple-choice questions.

Math section changes

The changes in the PSAT 2025 can be summarized as below:

1. Questions will appear from Algebra (largest portion), Advanced Math, Problem-solving and Data Analysis, and Geometry and Trigonometry.
2. Students can now use calculators throughout the entire Math section—a major departure from the previous no-calculator portion. Students may use their own calculator if they wish to, but it needs to meet certain criteria.
3. The official website says about 30% of the questions will be word problems with real-world contexts.
4. Approximately 70% will be multiple-choice questions, and approximately 30% will be student-produced response questions. 
5. In this section, too, questions will be arranged in ascending order of difficulty. 
6. Some questions come with tables and charts that the student would need to base their calculations on.

Updated scoring and reporting timeline

A good answer to anyone asking what has changed in PSAT is that scoring and reporting has become faster. With conventional paper-and-pencil tests, scores used to take 4 to 6 weeks. The digital PSAT scores are available within 2 to 4 weeks. 

Students can check them online or take help from their school counsellor. Because of the faster turnaround, students find out faster whether they’ll qualify for National Merit Scholarship or whether they need to re-take the test.
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How the digital PSAT changes impact tutoring strategies

Every single change in a test requires tutors and students to re-pivot their strategies, and what has changed in PSAT impacts your tutoring strategies as well.

Here are the five ways in which your tutoring needs to be modified, following the PSAT changes:

1. Adjusting lesson plans 

You want your students to do well in the base module, so that eventually they score well in the PSAT. That has to reflect in your lesson plans. Your tutoring schedules will need to help students build the strategies to cover all the questions accurately. 

2. Integrating tech comfort into prep

While using gadgets is not unusual for students, using devices to write serious tests can be daunting for many. You want to provide them with adequate practice so that using digital devices for reading for a long time doesn’t remain a strange experience.

3. Importance of digital practice simulations

While it sounds the same as the earlier point, the two are different. Under this, your goal is to provide your students a reliable platform for practice PSATs. 

Those practice PSATs should accurately simulate the real test. Scoring, the test interface, type of questions, tools,... everything must replicate for them the experience of a real PSAT. 

4. Shifting from long-reading endurance to precision reading strategies

The move from lengthy passages to shorter, more focused texts requires a complete strategic overhaul. With passages ranging from 25-150 words, every sentence carries more weight than in the previous format where students could afford to miss some details in longer texts. This change demands teaching students to read questions first, then approach passages with laser focus on extracting exactly the information needed.

You must help students develop rapid context switching abilities, moving efficiently between different passage types and question formats within the same module. The new format rewards careful, analytical reading over the stamina-based approach that worked for longer passages in the previous version.

5. More focus on data tracking to identify weaknesses faster

The individual as well as combined analytics that EdisonOS provides is unique. That helps you work with a critical tutoring strategy: view the performance of a student compared to everyone else. 

As you can see from the adjoining screenshot, EdisonOS’s analytics doesn’t just show an individual’s performance. You can see how the entire batch or group of students has performed. That will show you the most common mistakes students make, providing you with a great start in using data.
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Tips for tutors to adapt to the new PSAT format

As tutors realign their strategies, here are seven tips that will help tutors adapt better to the changes the digital PSAT has brought:

Incorporate digital mock tests

This one’s a no-brainer. Without adequate digital mock tests, students will not develop the familiarity with the test interface—or even a digital device—that they need to ace the PSAT. Paper-based practice materials have become not just outdated but potentially counterproductive for digital PSAT preparation. 

Students must practice exclusively on platforms that replicate the actual test interface, including the specific calculator design, annotation tools, and answer input methods they'll encounter on test day.

The stakes for authentic digital practice are particularly high because the testing experience differs substantially from typical classroom computer use. Students need extensive exposure to reading comprehension passages on screen, manipulating digital tools under time pressure, and maintaining focus within the specific interface design of the official testing platform.

Build digital comfort and navigation skills

Extended reading on screens requires different stamina and focus techniques than paper-based reading, and many students struggle with eye strain and concentration issues during digital testing. 

Additionally, efficient use of built-in tools like the Desmos calculator, annotation features, and question flagging systems can significantly impact performance.

You need to dedicate a portion of each session to digital tool practice, not just content review. This includes teaching students how to navigate the interface smoothly, input answers correctly for student-produced responses, and manage the various digital features without losing time or focus during the actual test.

Coach students to attempt all questions

There are no penalties for a wrong answer. So if a student isn’t attempting all the questions, they’re letting go of a no-risk opportunity to score better.

Stress the importance of “best-guess”

If a student has prepared very well, they’ll want to solve every question accurately. Paradoxically, this makes them spend more time than required to get an answer correct - and they end up missing a few questions. The moment a student realizes they’re using more time than average on a question, they should make their best guess and move on.

Adjust lesson plans for adaptive testing

Rather than building endurance for lengthy sections, the focus must shift to helping students perform consistently on Module 1, which determines their adaptive pathway. Students need to master rapid transitions between different skill areas within the same section, since questions testing various abilities appear in mixed order rather than in clearly separated sections.

This change requires restructuring practice sessions around focused 32-35-minute bursts that mirror actual test modules. Tutors should emphasize precision over speed, since fewer total questions mean each one carries more weight in the final score. The goal is no longer surviving a marathon test but maximizing accuracy within shorter, more intensive periods.

Track performance by section adaptively

Sectional scores matter just as much as the overall score. Don’t let a student just get by with average scores in one section just because they’ve done rather well in the other. Keep a close watch on their sectional performance. 
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How EdisonOS can help tutors transition to the digital PSAT

EdisonOS helps you use a three-pronged approach to help students easily tame the digital PSAT. 

1. Digital mock test creation

EdisonOS lets you load your questions and customize tests with the Build Your Own Test (BYOT) feature. You can create your own tests, based on the individual requirements, strengths, and weaknesses of each student.

2. Real-time analytics to track student performance

The granular level of analytics that EdisonOS brings you is unmatched. From the adjoining image, you can see the extent of insights you can extract out of the test immediately after the student completes the test. 

4. Personalized adaptive prep plans

Because every student is unique, they need personalized prep plans. Using the analytics and the testing facilities that EdisonOS provides, you can easily create prep plans for students to master the adaptive nature of the PSAT.

Staying ahead with the new PSAT

Adapting to the PSAT is not an option, and the earlier you adapt, the better results you’ll be able to get from your students. The digital PSAT changes show a clear shift toward technology.

For tutors, this is also an opportunity: by mastering the new digital PSAT format quickly, you become the trusted guide who helps students and parents navigate uncertainty with confidence. That trust directly translates into stronger results, referrals, and long-term credibility.

And with technology, every individual student’s performance analytics has suddenly become a great deal more detailed, accurate, and comprehensive. Only a platform like EdisonOS can enable you to exploit every single detail. 

Book a demo to find out how you can empower your students to succeed in the digital PSAT. 

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