Preparing for National Test Day

Wednesday, October 10th is National Test Day. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will report to school at 8:15 a.m. This is not a new experience for sophomores and juniors, but a multi-hour standardized test may be a new experience for some freshmen.

“The tests are a good, low stress way for students to start preparing to take the more difficult standardized tests down the line,” said National Merit Finalist Seamus Caslin ’19.

Juniors will be taking the PSAT test, which is probably the most well known of the National Test Day tests. It is designed to show readiness for college level courses and the SAT. It is also possible for students to earn scholarships, such as the National Merit Scholarship, based off of their scores.

“In order to perform to the best of your abilities, get a good night of sleep and eat a good breakfast,” said Joseph Sison ’19. “Study, but not the night before. You don’t want to pull an all nighter. Just go into the test confident.”

Sophomores will be taking the Pre-ACT and Freshmen will be taking a standardized test geared towards freshmen. These tests will not affect anything, but they offer students the chance to practice taking a standardized test without the pressure of the actual SAT or ACT.

“My advice for kids taking the test would be to go in there relaxed and not to worry too much,” said National Merit Semifinalist Jake Sandman ’19. “It is just a practice test to see where they stand, so they should just try to do their best and trust that everything will work out.”

National Test Day exists to help students prepare to take the ACT and SAT, tests that have a large impact on college admissions. It is important to try your best if you want to get the most out of the day.