Oh No, It’s the PSAT

As many standardized tests tend to do, the hype and intimidation of scoring above a 215 on the PSAT has been a reality hit to many juniors. As October 12th rounds the corner, anxiety amplifies when creating a strategic study regimen to knowing “everything” on the test.

“The rewards are so great, for one to take the test lightly is wrong, One may consider the day of the PSAT as your wedding day, ” Mr. Draves, AP English teacher said.  “Yet, if a student freaks out he/she will hurt themselves and their ability to function. However, what a student makes on the PSAT is not the only pivotal score that matters. AP Exams, GPA, and college essays help shape one’s future. Although, the PSAT will burn. It will chafe you, while still being cool.”

Among the anxiety, the class of 2013 has been quite peculiar with how to handle the hefty exam.

“Students have a full three day weekend before the exam. One can go buy practice exams at thrift stores, and take the online test offered on College Board’s website. It’s wise to practice in the morning, since the exam is administered to students at 9 AM, ” Draves said.

The strategies differ among students as to how each one plans to make “the perfect score”.

“Well, I plan  to talk to Mr. Arnatt and other English teachers on what I should start studying for the Vocabulary and Writing portion of the exam,” junior Victoria Sweet said.

Although, the seventy-five juniors that were selected to participate in the “PSAT Blitz” had mixed reviews on how helpful standard preparation techniques are in comparison to personalized practice sessions.

“Well, it was a bit of a waste of time. We re-learned a lot of old material and got some notes on how to take the test. It was mentioned that we shouldn’t take over a minute on each question, but that’s the only useful bit we got,” junior Kendall Richey said.

Although the PSAT is less than three weeks away, the anticipation in comparison to the anxiety of the approaching PSAT has students in a slight frenzy. Many students hope to attain above a 215 on the exam to become merit scholars.

According to College Board, “the PSAT/NMSQT is a firsthand practice to the SAT.”  Since SAT scores are also vital to college admissions, it’s good to practice one’s strengths and weaknesses in math, reading, and writing.

However, students shouldn’t stress over their scores on the PSAT. Although it is important to always strive to achieve goals, students should remain focused on other areas of their education and what college they plan to go to. To most colleges, PSAT and SAT scores play only a portion of what is considered when accepting students.

To those looking for some good PSAT practice, here’s some helpful (and trustworthy) links to start studying.

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/prep.html

http://www.petersons.com/college-search/free-psat-practice-test.aspx

http://testprep.about.com/library/SAT_Quiz/bl_SAT_Math_Quiz_1.htm

http://testprep.about.com/library/SAT_Quiz/bl_SAT_Math_Test_2.htm