Dear Parents and Students:
Students in grades 9, 10 and 11 will take part in our school wide testing day Wednesday, October 13 2021. Grade 9 will be taking the PSAT 8/9 Test and grades 10 and 11 will be administered the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). Seniors do not need to report to school. This would be a great day to schedule a college campus visit or work on your college applications.
The PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 8/9 are multiple choice tests that measure developed verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities important to academic success in college. These tests provide dependable measures for uses in connection with the improvement of instruction and the evaluation of student progress. Here are some reasons for schools to give their students the PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 8/9:
- Scores give students information on areas in which they excel and also provide information on areas where students need improvement and need to gain further mastery.
- Students can use their PSAT 8/9 and PSAT/NMSQT scores to get free personalized practice for the SAT through Khan Academy.
- PSAT 8/9 and PSAT/NMSQT scores give students and their teacher’s information on what AP courses they will likely do well in.
- These tests offer students opportunities to earn potential scholarships and academic recognition. Juniors taking the PSAT/NMSQT will be entered into the National Merit Scholarship program by taking the PSAT/NMSQT exam. Those students who score in the top 1% of the nation will be considered for the National Merit Scholarship.
All students in grades 10-11 were given PSAT information and practice booklets in their English classes the week of September 14 one month prior to testing. Practice tests for the PSAT/NMSQT can also be found on the Collegeboard website here.
Grade 9 students can learn more about the PSAT 8/9 here.
Testing will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m.; therefore, it is extremely important that your student arrive to school on time. They may use a scientific calculator to answer math questions. To ensure that your student be at his/her best, we recommend eight hours of sleep and eating breakfast prior to the exam.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your student’s School Counselor. Thank you and Happy Testing!