The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) will be taken digitally for the first year nationwide. The PSAT qualifies students for certain scholarships and helps them practice for the SAT, which will be turned digital by the sophomore’s junior year.
“I’ve heard that the benefits are that the test does not take as long, that there aren’t as many materials,” Assistant Principal Kendra Kelley said. “Students may do better because they are used to doing a lot of their learning in a digital format.”
The paper PSAT takes 2 hours and 14 minutes, not including breaks, and consists of two sections totaling four modules, one Reading, one Writing, and two Math.
“I think people might have a hard time concentrating,” sophomore Evey Kim said. “I don’t know if it’s just me, but I find it hard to just stare at a screen for a long time. I think the light might throw people off after a while.”
The PSAT will be taken on a website called Bluebook™ and Collegeboard says students’ devices are “locked down so that students can’t access anything other than the test”. Proctors will be circulating the room too, monitoring screens along with off-campus monitors.
“I feel like digitally there is always a way around it, and I feel like kids are always going to try to take advantage of that and cheat,” sophomore Janis Laconico said.
Test administrators also worry that switching to digital may pose new challenges.
“The major drawback that is a possibility is the internet not working, “ Kelley said. “That would be disastrous. If the Wi-Fi does not work on test day, the test day will be rescheduled for another day in October.”
With CERT, PSAT testing occurring for underclassmen on Wednesday, October 11, workshops centered on life after high school will be held for the senior class.
“Our problem a few years ago was what would seniors do because it’s still a school day they have to come to,” Counselor Janelle Kelly said. “When everyone else is testing, what can we do to give [seniors] a beneficial day? That’s why we decided to do this.”
Seminar session will be held in B building. These lessons range from “Adulting 101” and “Money Management” to “Senior Year Self-Care”.
“I was complaining with my friends a while back saying how they don’t have a class for budgeting or scholarships and that they’re just throwing us into the world with no type of knowledge,” senior Eden Fitsum said. “At least having that one day to be able to learn money budgeting, what to do with your first car, even if it’s only an hour, I’m kind of thankful that they set that up for us.”
