PSAT Testing Provides Unique Opportunity for Juniors
Annual PSAT/ NMSQT held on Wednesday, October 18 is a chance for Juniors to qualify for a once in a lifetime scholarship.
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The upcoming PSAT exam awards merit scholarship for high performing Juniors around the United States.
While Juniors gear up for the SAT in April, many would think that the PSAT test would be just that, the Pre-SAT. However, it is much more than just a practice for the mandatory test juniors will be taking in the spring. This exam provides Juniors with the opportunity of becoming National Merit Scholars, and receiving the corresponding scholarship that is awarded to the top scorers around the country.
This became a reality for seniors Adrian Blue and Stanley Liu, who are semifinalists for the scholarship after taking the test in October of 2015.
“Just believe in yourself,” Blue said, when asked what could be helpful to anyone taking the test. It’s more about knowing the material than a strategy for some students like Blue, but high self confidence reaps beneficial results in the testing room.
Although this test is not considered for college applications, it is important for students to put in their most effort, in order to see what areas one needs to improve on and receive a firm basis for the format of the SAT. All of which will later become an important part of the application process for the current juniors in their final year of high school.
Similar to other Midwest schools around the United States, ACHS has always held the mandatory ACT test for juniors in the spring of their third year. This year, administration decided to change the school’s testing procedure to the SAT, a similar standardized test that is widely used in the East and West coast in order to better prepare students for college and comply to the demands of colleges in their higher acceptances of SAT scores. With ACHS switching to the SAT format over the ACT, the Juniors are the guinea pigs for this test.
“I don’t really feel scared about the test,” junior Kristian Huber said. “I just hope I get a good score and I can then begin to prepare for the SAT.”
With the opportunity of national recognition, this test will be taken seriously by many juniors, but will also act as a learning experience as it is practice for one of the most important tests of their future.