Annual PSAT testing held for sophomores, registered juniors
The PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) is held on Wednesday in the large and small gym as well as classrooms throughout Coppell High School for sophomores and registered juniors, who are required to pay a $17 fee. The test allows testers to receive scholarship opportunities from national programs.
October 12, 2018
Wednesday morning, the Coppell High School large gym hallway filled with lively and nervous chatter from the awaiting crowd of test takers of the school organized test, the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test).
Administered every October, the PSAT is open to sophomores and registered juniors to prepare students for standardized testing and promote college readiness and success. The PSAT testing also allows eligible juniors to receive potential scholarship and recognition from national programs, such as the National Merit Program and National Hispanic Recognition Program.
This year, both sophomores and juniors did not pay any required costs due to a new contract with College Board. A change from previous years, junior test takers were not required to pay the usual $17 fee, but still had to register online.
“It’s a good idea since not everybody takes practice test outside of school,” junior Karl Baes said.
Test takers were given the resources of room lists around the large gym and commons walls. Materials such as a student ID, calculator, two No. 2 pencils, and a small snack or water were the only items permissible in the testing rooms.
Those who did not test, including juniors who did not register for the PSAT and seniors, resumed their normal schedules.
Though the annual test is not new for CHS, a change is seen in the schedule surrounding seniors. In previous years, seniors were not required to attend all classes for the full day and were given the allowance of a late arrival. However, due to the opening of CHS9, seniors were required to stay in order to meet the required percentage of present students on campus for CHS staff to receive pay for the day. Due to this district decision, seniors are required to attend PSAT testing days beginning this year.
“It would’ve been nice to get late arrival, but also I realize there isn’t a point since most senior teachers wouldn’t be proctoring anyways,” senior Aaron Smegner said. “I see the purpose of [seniors not receiving late arrival].”
