PSAT Scores will be released on December 13

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Dear Parents and Guardians,                                                             

On December 13th, 10th and 11th grade students will receive an email from college board regarding their PSAT score results.  To mitigate any stress or anxiety, please read this letter carefully.

We use the PSAT as a practice test and for counseling purposes for students. While PSAT scores can be indicative of success on the SAT, the SAT is not the only factor in the college admissions decision. AP/IB points, subject exams, leadership, activities, teacher/counselor recommendation letters and of course grade point average all play an important role in the student’s application to universities worldwide.

To gauge your student’s PSAT performance, look at the scores in the upper portion of the page.  The scores for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math are 760 each.  Keep in mind the PSAT and SAT are now scored on the same scale.  The PSAT will give a ROUGH indicator of where your student MIGHT perform in relation to the SAT and in relation to what certain universities are asking for.  While Grade 10 scores are not used in the college application process, outstanding scores in the junior year may qualify US citizens for national merit scholarships.

If your student’s scores are below average or average, we encourage you to assist in your student’s improvement of his or her scores.  For example, encourage outside reading to boost an Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score.  Also, using the free tools available to you through CollegeBoard.  Each student has received an access code on their PSAT score sheet which will give them personalized detail information on how they did and what they need to focus on (studentscores.collegeboard.org).  You may also consider SAT prep classes (SUMMA will offer a course on campus starting in January – see other eNews posting), which have shown to be effective for some students. The cost for such programs varies and the results are not guaranteed, as these types of courses are generally only as effective as the learner’s desire to excel.  Please remember that while additional preparation for the SATs is valuable, it should not occur at the expense of wellness or academic performance, which remain the most important factors in personal and academic success. Our suggestion is to not force your student to take a preparation class.

There is another test called the ACT.  Research shows that some students perform better on the ACT than on the SAT.  The exam is taken during the junior year and is voluntary. To learn more about the ACT and SAT, visit www.fairtest.org/index.htm. Scores from both exams are widely accepted at colleges and universities across the United States and recognized at universities in other countries.  You can visit the ACT website at www.act.org

Our focus next semester will be continuing to support our students emotionally while preparing them for the university process.  We hope to see many of you at our upcoming events:

  • Grade 10 AP/IB Information evening on Tuesday, January 16th  and
  • Grade 11 University Night on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.

Sincerely,

Erin Hawken and Robert Kostrzeski