PSAT restricted to only juniors and seniors

The impact of PSAT being restricted to juniors and seniors

Staff Writer

In a major shift for students, the PSAT this year has been made accessible to only junior and senior students. While some may view this as a change that results in the loss of early practice, the upsides that come with this decision ultimately benefit the PSAT’s original goal: preparing students for the SAT.

One issue with providing the PSAT exam to sophomores was that it’s simply too far from the actual SAT to make a difference to scores. The year between the PSAT and the SAT gives students extra time to forget what content was on the PSAT. According to Dong You (11), “The PSAT does help a bit with preparing, but once you forget, Bluebook is your only choice.” With seniors, the gap is a year larger, making the impact of the PSAT that much less substantial. With the PSAT now much closer to the SAT, the PSAT is now much more relevant in prepping for the SAT, as students now know what content they have to focus on while studying for the exam.

Scheduling the PSAT close to the SAT also ensures that students get a realistic preview of the test format. While there are alternatives to SAT practice that can be found online, the PSAT is usually a student’s first official experience with SAT style testing.

As Wilson Lo (11) said, “If you’re taking the SAT, it’s good to know the format.” With the new testing schedule, it’s easier for students to familiarize themselves with the pressure and pacing of a timed test. Unfortunately, the PSAT this year was right after an actual SAT, meaning that the intended benefits of familiarizing students with the SAT format were not applicable to this year’s PSAT for the few juniors taking an early SAT. For the most part though, students will be taking their SAT later into the year, giving them adequate time to process the content on the PSAT.

The grade requirement change has also allowed students to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) is a program that allows students to receive significant financial rewards. Among other requirements, the NMSC requires upperclassmen to score high. As per the program, “The PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 will NOT be considered for entry to the National Merit Scholarship Program.” This means that any sophomores or freshmen taking the PSAT will not be eligible for becoming a National Merit Scholar. While competing for the National Merit Scholarship may add pressure to an already work-heavy year of high school, studying for the SAT could serve the dual purpose of studying for the PSAT. By combining preparation for both tests, students can maximize their efforts, preparing for the SAT while still aiming for a scholarship.

The impact of the PSAT moving to junior year remains to be seen, both in regard to SAT scores and its various other uses. As the school year goes on and SAT scores are released, the effects of the new testing schedule will become apparent. Until then, all the signs point to this change as being a positive one for the test-takers of AHS.

Caption:Students taking the SAT have online practice tools such as Bluebook, but the PSAT testing environment is irreplaceable. (Photo Credit: Lance Wang (12))