Every October, sophomores and juniors across the country sit down for the PSAT, and every October, families have the same questions: Does this count? Do we need to prep? What happens with the score? Here's what's useful to know, broken down by grade. For Freshmen The PSAT isn't typically offered until sophomore year, but this is a good year to build foundational reading and math skills through regular coursework rather than test-specific prep. Strong classroom habits now pay