On October 22nd, all juniors and the top 100 sophomores will be taking the PSAT. The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test or PSAT, is a standardized test that is practice for the SAT and allows students to become qualified for the National Merit Scholarship.

“Besides being good practice, the PSAT can also open doors to scholarships, like the National Merit Scholarship, which can really help with college costs. It’s a great way for students to see where they stand academically and start planning their next steps for college,” said Counselor Melanie Prince. 

 It consists of two sections, the reading and writing combined section and a math section. These scores are not used for college admissions, but they do help students to know what they should work on before taking the SAT.

“The intent for the PSAT is to have a practice run for the SAT, helping students get comfortable with the kind of questions and format they’ll see on the real test. It gives them a chance to figure out what they’re good at and what they might need to work on before the big day,” said Counselor Prince.

Counselors recommend that seniors use this “free day” as an opportunity to tour a college campus or as a career day to learn more about future career paths.

“Seniors are encouraged to use this day to visit a college campus or shadow a professional in a field of interest for career exploration” Said Prince. Seniors can pick up college or career day slips in Admin A. 

There are quite a few resources for students to use before the day of the test to prepare them for what to expect and refresh them on topics they learned years prior. 

Khan Academy offers free, personalized practice aligned with the PSAT and SAT. 

GidePrep by Gide.ai provides an online platform with tailored materials for PSAT preparation. 

Cambridge Educational Services offers both print and online study materials, including practice exams and performance analysis.