More Tests?
With the familiar routine of standardized testing upon City High School in the form of the Iowa Assessments, three students take a moment to reflect on a different
standardized test they took one week ago, the PSAT/NMSQT.
Sitting in uncomfortable chairs in either the old gym or cafeteria, Aubree Dawson, ‘16, Nick Freericks, ‘16, and Kyle Leuang, ‘15 joined the approximately three million juniors and sophomores from across the country participated in the PSAT/NMSQT.
“I really wasn’t nervous,” Dawson said. “Because I’m a sophomore taking the test and it really doesn’t count this year.”
Dawson and Freericks both think that they did “okay.” Neither of them did much to prepare for the test, besides reading the booklet they received when signing up.
Sophomores don’t have much to worry about when it comes to the PSAT, but juniors wanting to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Contest have higher stakes involved.
“I don’t think I did very well during the PSAT,” Leuang said. “It’s not like I really struggled or anything, it’s just that I didn’t finish or I didn’t know a few of the questions.”
A total of about 50,000 students receive recognition in the National Merit program from across the United States. From those 50,000, about 16,000 will become Semifinalists, 15,000 of which advance to become Finalists.
“I know I won’t be a finalist,” Leuang said. “But I guess I should hope.”