This Wednesday freshman, sophomores and select juniors strapped in for a lengthy three-and-a-half hour testing session: the Preliminary SAT (PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). For some it was only a taste of what was to come, and for others it was another rung on the personal ladder of success.
Freshman and sophomores approached the test free of stakes. To them, it was a sparring ground for their math and reading skills, an exam that would set the baseline they would seek to improve upon. After the test, they came out with a better understanding of how to approach later SATs and where they need to improve.
“It’s good to start the practice early,” freshman Alex Gallardo said. “It’s a lot of pressure and it’s always good to have extra practice for the actual SAT where it really matters.”
Juniors went into the test with a clear head, opportunity in mind. This year’s PSAT would be more than just practice – this test would determine the class of 2019 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.
Started in 1955, the National Merit Scholarship Program screens 1.6 million entrants each year. Of those 1.6 million, 15,000 students will be recognized as finalists and will be chosen based on “abilities, skills and accomplishments” in an effort to celebrate significant academic achievement. As such, the decisions are made “without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin or religious preference.”
Alongside testing, the class of 2018 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists were announced this week, with three CCHS students making the cut: Hugh Dennin, Joie Meyer and Matthew Plonskier. And as semifinalists, the three seniors have much to offer in terms of advice for those freshmen and sophomores shooting for the same prestige.
“The PSAT’s just such a big adjustment from what freshmen and sophomores are used to,” Meyer said. “You can’t study for this test the same way you study for a history test. You have to look at the format, and how to better manage your time during the test… not memorizing equations.”
For more information regarding the PSAT/NMSQT and the National Merit Scholarship, visit http://www.nationalmerit.org.
Photo by Ryan Sullivan
