Most Sophomores and Juniors spent a majority of their Wednesday on Oct. 10 taking the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Students began testing just before 8am and finished around 12:15pm.

“My least favorite part were the short breaks,” sophomore Levi Weilert said. “It probably would’ve helped to be able to eat a snack after the second section.”

The PSAT costs $16 per student and is held at local high schools around the country each October. Approximately 3.5 million students take the test each year.

Weilert said that he thinks it’s important for students to take the PSAT.

“It puts students in a test setting and allows them to get familiar with how standardized tests work.” Weilert said.

Sophomore Fernando Zarate agrees with the importance of the test.

“I decided to take it because I wanted to be prepared for future tests that I am going to take,” Zarate said. “It’s important because students should have an idea of how the test is going to be and how they can be ready for other tests.”

Scores should be available online at collegeboard.org around December 10th. Paper copies are usually given out to students sometime in January.

“We’re supposed to receive our scores in December so I’ll probably forget about it until then,” Weilert said. “It’s just a practice test so it doesn’t really bother me much.”

Zarate said he wasn’t surprised by the length of the test. He didn’t study for the PSAT but feels it didn’t make a difference.

“I’m nervous to get my score because I want it to be good.” Zarate said.

21mmcbride@usd489.com