It’s that exciting time of the year again. The sophomore PSAT will be taking place at AHS on Mon., April 19. The test is offered at no charge to FCPS students. Walk-ins on the day of the exam cannot be accepted due to health and safety procedures. If you intend to take the test, be sure to complete the PSAT 10 intent form. 

The PSAT is an acronym that stands for Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test. The test is meant to be a practice version for the SAT that students take their junior year and is scored out of 1520. Sophomores take the same PSAT as well for practice while freshmen take a different, easier version of the test.

“I’m a little nervous about the PSAT. I’ve been using Khan Academy to study,” sophomore Rahiel Berhe said. “I took a PSAT on Khan Academy, and it’s been helping me improve in the areas I didn’t do well in.”

Taking practice tests in preparation for the PSAT is a good idea because it allows you to see where your strengths and weaknesses lie and then make adjustments to your studying process. Although at the end of the day the PSAT is a practice test, it is still important to try your best so that you can get an accurate idea of where you are.

“I’m feeling nervous about it even though it won’t count for anything really. I have a really good SAT book I’ve been working on from Kaplan. With the Kaplan SAT book, I always tell myself to use it for at least an hour,” sophomore Jenna Saykhamphone said. “What I do is go through short lessons in it, practice problems, and then take a timed quiz. What’s great with this book is that it has explanations that go along with the answers too. It teaches you different ways to beat the SAT with strategic thinking.”

SAT prep books can be very useful and detailed for students who prefer a physical version of the test rather than using online resources. It is important to take the time to explore all of your options while learning about the PSAT and SAT.

“The PSAT is important to me because it’s one of the few ways the school can help you out with the SAT. I’m lucky enough to be able to be offered this opportunity and take it,” Saykhamphone said. “Hopefully, after taking the PSAT, I can get a good idea of what the SAT will be like and how I can use strategic thinking.”

Although it seems like the time has flown by and the SAT has been something you wouldn’t have to worry about for ages, the time has come. The best thing you can do for yourself would be to take it seriously and begin thinking about how you will prepare, you can really never start too early. 

The preparation process does not have to be boring: have some fun with it! Quiz with your friends, make flashcards; there are so many wonderful studying techniques available that are waiting for you. Best of luck to all sophomores taking the PSAT!