Carlmont High School juniors and seniors put their knowledge to the test on Oct. 8, as classrooms were turned into exam rooms for the PSAT and SAT.
The PSAT offered juniors a chance to qualify for the National Merit Scholar Program and the SAT gave seniors an opportunity to improve their scores before college applications are due.
For seniors like Ellora Mehta, the stakes were high.
“I took the SAT to improve my English score as I didn’t have as good a score than I expected from my last one,” Mehta said.
The SAT, created nearly a century ago and now administered by the College Board, has played a major role in college admissions. However, its influence has shifted in recent years as many schools have gone test-optional, especially after the pandemic. Despite this, the test still offers students opportunities to differentiate themselves, especially as some schools have started requiring test scores again.
Taking the PSAT during junior year offers students an opportunity to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Students who receive qualifying scores are notified by their school. Then, they must complete an application, have a consistently high academic record, write an essay, be endorsed and recommended by a school official, and take the SAT or ACT to earn a score that confirms the PSAT performance to be considered for becoming a finalist in the competition.
After the tests were administered at Carlmont, students and staff reflected on their experience and what they learned from it.
“I think I did pretty good. The first modules for math and reading were both pretty easy, and then they got a little harder after because you did well in the first,” said junior Nicole Franklin.
Time management was another big topic regarding the SAT.
“I should have just automatically skipped the questions that I had no idea on because I ended up wasting a lot of time just to not get the answer,” Franklin said.
Instructional Vice Principal Jennifer Lang offered insight into the student perspective, emphasizing the emotional weight that the tests can carry.
“I just don’t want students walking away and feeling like the test is the only thing, like life is over because they didn’t get a certain number,” Lang said.
Once PSAT and SAT scores are released, students will know what percentile they scored. Many juniors will also begin preparing for the SAT, which is often taken in the spring of junior year.
As the role of standardized testing continues to evolve, Lang hopes students and colleges can remember that success isn’t defined by scores.
“With the pandemic, there was a moment when the colleges measured what you did extracurricularly and what you were doing in athletics, and what you were doing within the community. I think that measures the success of a student more than how they do in a moment on a test,” Lang said.
