On Tuesday, October 15, many juniors at Hamburg Area High School participated in taking the PSAT exam in preparation for the upcoming SAT exam. Some students may wonder why this is still relevant or even what these exams are. The SAT is a “Scholastic Aptitude Test” that colleges and universities use to determine who they should enroll in their schools. It is heavily recommended by many teachers that students take the SATs as it will give them the upper hand when applying to colleges, and it will also be one of the first things colleges will be looking for. Taking the SAT will also make a college applicant likely to receive more scholarship money to attend college.
The PSAT is a practice exam that allows students to familiarize themselves with the many components of the SAT. By taking the PSAT first, students are eligible to take the PSAT. The PSAT and SAT are taken on the computer using a special application called Bluebook. Students then are given their login information and can begin after reading the conditions and instructions. The exam consists of two sections: an Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section and a math section. Both are timed specifically with a 10-minute break in between. In total, the exam takes about two hours and 14 minutes. Each section is scored separately and the overall score is totaled and used as the final score for the exam. The average SAT score is around 1060 while the average PSAT score is around 1010.
For more information visit https://www.princetonreview.com/college/sat-information or https://bigfuture.collegeboard.com.
