WEB EXCLUSIVE Juniors gathered in room 305 today to discuss study strategies and do practice problems for the Practice Scholastic Aptitude Test in preparation for the upcoming exam on Oct. 10.

The 2 hours and 45 minutes test includes four sections — reading, writing, and math with and without a calculator.

“I am feeling a little more confident about the PSAT because of this meeting,” junior Jacqui Carlson said. “Now that I am more familiar with the test, I am looking forward to some difficult questions because I know how to answer them.”

The meeting introduced information about the language portion of the test. Two weeks ago students focused on the math section of the test.   

“I think the big takeaway is just wanting juniors to be familiar enough with the PSAT that when they get there, they are not doing something that seems brand new in the moment,” Michael Buckley, Chair of Community Life, said. “They have at least seen the types of questions and answers.”

Students also practiced utilizing the new strategies that they were taught in example problems.

“When Mr. Buckley was describing how to eliminate a question it really helped me get more familiar with the test,” Ovalle said. “Now I know what to expect and how to eliminate questions that are false.”

While the upcoming test does not count for the college application process, the test can give students an idea of what they are scoring, and whether they will ultimately take the PSAT or ACT. Depending on scores, students may be considered for the National Merit Scholarship Program, which acknowledges students for outstanding test scores with scholarship money.

“I doubt that the meetings are going to have a huge impact on the test but at least it will make students feel more comfortable,” Buckley said. “I want students to know that the test is totally doable and that if they follow a pattern then they will be more successful on the test.”