Every fall, sophomores and juniors are offered the chance to take the PSAT. Starting August 12th, registration is open for students seeking an opportunity to practice and become comfortable with the test-taking environment in preparation for their higher-stakes tests.
The PSAT is an exam consisting of three sections – reading comprehension, grammar/language, and math. Unlike the SAT, ACT, or AP tests, the scores for the PSAT are not as important as the practice experience gained by the students.
“The skills you learn there will help you in your SATs. It builds the test-taking mindset and study habits, which is important in a lot of your classes and for AP tests,” said Aayan Rizvi (‘24).
To sign up for the exam, students can visit TotalRegistration. The window for registration stretches from August 12th to September 12th. The exam will cost $47 per student, but the fee can be omitted under particular circumstances if needed.
“There should be an option there if you need to apply for a fee waiver. The fee waiver comes to me and I decide on a case by case basis for the students,” said Raman.
Students will mainly be split between two days, either Monday on October 16th or Tuesday on October 17th. The exam will start at 7:30 A.M, and test-takers will be excused from their classes that day.
“Last year, we had around 700 students test, so [this year] it might be 400 on Monday and 400 on Tuesday. We’re trying to even it out,” said Raman.
The PSAT will take place on campus in the small gym. The school will follow the structured College Board guidelines to ensure fairness and to keep the exam running smoothly.
“Students will most likely need to sign a statement saying that they’re not going to do anything during the PSAT which compromises the scores,” said Raman.
The PSAT is only one stepping stone in a student’s academic journey and while the exam may seem daunting, students should remember that it is only for practice.
“Just relax, take your time. Don’t stress out too much about it,” said Raman. “If you do not receive the score that you went for, it’s okay.”
