By Fatima Valadez
Last week, sophomores and juniors took the PSAT test while freshmen took an English benchmark. Preliminary SAT /NMSQT stands for Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
The PSAT test was timed, having five sections, 25 minutes each for sections 1-4 and 30 minutes for the section 5. For each correct answer, students receive one point, and for questions people leave out, they receive no points. For having the wrong answer the PSAT scores on a multiple-choice questions, they lose 1/4 of a point, while having the wrong answer on a math question that is not multiple choice, they don’t lose any points.
“I think the PSAT was quite difficult and had big [vocabulary] words,” Kimberly Ruiz, a sophomore, said.
While it may have been challenging, counselors agree it is important for students to take.
“The PSAT is important for sophomores to take it, because it gives them practice of what the SAT is like and for Juniors is a vehicle for colleges: if they do good, colleges will contact them,” counselor Werk Cook said.
For students who get really good scores, or in the top 2 percent, they have the opportunity to get a National Merit scholarship.
“We have two National Merit Semi finalists, two National Merit Commended, two National Hispanic Scholars, and one National Achievement Program Outstanding Participant,” counselor Magdalena Lopez said.