The PSAT and SAT II Connection
The fear and mystery surrounding the SAT Writing section
is overblown. It’s new, they say. But actually, it isn’t. It’s just
an old test put in a new place. All of the multiple-choice question
types are derived from the PSAT, which nearly everyone studying
for the SAT has already taken. And the entire section, including
the essay, is really just a slightly shorter version of the SAT
II Writing test that many students have had to take for years. Most
colleges require students to take the SAT II Writing test in order
to apply, but once the new SAT launches, the SAT II Writing test
will be discontinued forever. So the big scary new Writing
section is really just a recycled rehash of other standardized tests.
That should help put your panic in check.