Tomorrow, all Coppell High School sophomores and juniors will take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The test is free, and this year, sophomores and juniors are automatically registered and do not need to sign up.

Offered every year in October, the PSAT helps students prepare for future standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT. It is also used to determine eligibility for entry into the National Merit Scholarship Program competition, which recognizes high-level academic achievements in students and potentially awards scholarships, and other scholarship opportunity programs such as African American Recognition or Hispanic Recognition.

“I’m ready, because I have been doing some practice PSATs and I’ve been doing pretty good,” CHS junior Dhanu Navaneethan said. “The PSAT is important because [National Merit is] a big academic achievement to get in your high school career, and it really shows your abilities.”

In order to take their test, students will need a graphing calculator, No. 2 pencils and their school ID. Mechanical pencils are not allowed.

“My sister does [KD College Prep] so she’s been working with me, and I’ve been taking practice tests online,” CHS sophomore Sophia Priest said. “The PSAT is important because it shows what you need to work on for the ACT and SAT, as well as show the school, these are the areas that your students are lacking in, this is where they need to improve.”

Because they are not taking the PSAT, seniors are not required to arrive at school tomorrow until 11:30, after which the day will go to the CHS Arena for an assembly from 11:35-12:10. 

“I’m excited because we get to come to school around 11:30,” CHS senior Pragati Mundhada said. “I can do a lot of work, catch up on things and catch up on sleep most importantly.”

When the PSAT is over, all students will go to third period. Students with teachers last names A-K have lunch 12:05-12:50, while students with teachers last names L-Z have lunch 12:55-1:40.

“[My advice to sophomores and juniors is] don’t blow [the PSAT] off, because it could really be a big deal and it’s good practice,” Mundhada said. “Do a lot of practice problems at home and take just a little bit of time out of your day to work on it.”

Room assignments for the PSAT are posted by the large gym and in the cafeteria and main hallway.

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