PSAT Testing at VHHS

Photo Credits: Stranahan High School

On Tuesday, October 28th, Vestavia Hills High School’s sophomores and juniors took the PSAT, a standardized test meant to prepare students for the actual SAT, one common college admissions test, and allow eligible juniors to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program.

For sophomores, the PSAT was a low-stakes exam. Unless their parents were treating their scores as life or death, the only thing on the line for them was a couple of hours and maybe a little pride. On the other hand, as mentioned, juniors had a lot more riding on the PSAT. The PSAT is also known as the NMSQT, the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. If a junior earns a high enough score on the test, they enter the selection process for a National Merit Scholarship, possibly worth thousands of dollars, which could be crucial on the road to college to ease the financial burden of tuition, providing new opportunities. 

Seniors, who have already taken this twice, enjoyed an E-Day. Many sophomores and juniors were actually looking forward to the standardized test because it also came with a shortened school day, giving them a long afternoon to do as they pleased. They went out with friends, enjoyed their hobbies, and caught up on sleep.

As for the test itself, many claim that it wasn’t too difficult. Some people finished their modules with time to spare, doodling on their scratch paper or fiddling with their calculators as they waited for their timers to expire. Others found certain modules or particular questions more difficult. As expected, though, each person has different strengths and weaknesses that affect their test-taking experience, be it a dislike for graphing or a love of reading.

College Board will release scores on November 13th, but no matter the results, taking this test and trying one’s best should be a feat worth celebrating!