BY DAVID DEACON
Cooper City High School administered the PSAT on October 17th, to all 10th graders and 11th graders who opted to take it.
The PSAT is a preliminary test for the SAT, which is required for admission to many major colleges and universities. Every year approximately 1.5 million students nation-wide take the PSAT for practice on the SAT and a chance to win the National Merit Scholarship. The top scoring 15,000 students move on to become finalists for the scholarship. PSAT finalists get their choice of a $2,500 scholarship to the school of their choice, a sponsorship by any community business, or a sponsorship by the college of their choice. Just like the SAT, the PSAT has three parts: mathematics, critical reading, and writing. The highest score for each of the section is 80 points, with the national average at 50 points. Since the PSAT is a miniature version of the SAT, the maximum points are 1/10 of the SAT’s.
“For as long as I can remember working at CCHS, it has been mandatory for 10th graders to take the PSAT,” guidance counselor Terri Sullivan said.
It’s not only CCHS that requires 10th graders to take the PSAT, but all of Broward County. The test gives a baseline score, which identifies students’ strong and weak points according to sections.
“The PSAT is a good indicator for students to see their strengths and weaknesses,” Sullivan said. “It measures their ability to think reasonably and not just memorize facts and formulas.”
The PSAT also helps teachers identify what subject their students excel in and what areas need improvement in. To help their students prepare for the PSAT, English teachers are adjusting their lesson plans to incorporate critical thinking skills, vocabulary, and reading passages into their student’s work.
According to National Merit semifinalist Simon Shuham, there are many benefits for students taking the PSAT.
“Qualifying as a semi-finalist has helped me to earn scholarship money that will help pay for my college tuition,” Shuham said. “Even though it may not seem as big of a deal as the SAT or ACT, sophomores and juniors should take the PSAT just as seriously.”
