As the school year starts again, the upperclassmen at Aliso Niguel have started studying for their SAT. This year, Aliso is hosting a PSAT and a SAT on campus.
The PSAT is typically taken by Juniors, but can also be taken by Sophomores and Freshmen. The PSAT Exam will take place in person at Aliso Niguel High School on Monday, October 6.
Registration opened at 4:00 p.m. on the ANHS Guidance website. The cost to register was 40 dollars, with registration ending on Sunday, September 14 at 11 p.m. Seats were limited, so staff encouraged students to sign up as soon as possible.
There is a variety of opinion on how useful the PSAT is, leading some to not participate in the test.
Frida Rodriguez (11) stated, “I’m not doing the PSAT because it’s not necessary, [she’d] rather just take the SAT.”
Similarly, Taleiya Gordon (11) said she “plans to study with practice tests on Bluebook for free” rather than taking a PSAT.
This sentiment was reflected amongst other Aliso students, with Maya Tata (11) saying, “It doesn’t directly help you with colleges so I’m not doing it.”
Some students, like Sanaa Rishi (11) aren’t taking the exam simply because they forgot to sign up in time.
PSAT test reminders were sent out starting at the end of August and were also announced in the daily announcements during Wolverine Plus.
The formatting of the tests are also different. The PSAT is a shortened version of the SAT, only ranging from 320 to 1520 points. The original SAT ranges from 400 to 1600 points.
Tata also thinks that “the actual test is longer so I don’t think it will help that much with timing.”
In March of 2024 the SAT became fully digital. This allows students to study with more test-like drills and practice exams.
Aliso Niguel will also be hosting the October and November SATs. Students are required to bring a form of identification, either School ID or Drivers License, in order to be allowed into the testing center.
Students are instructed to bring their school issued chromebook fully charged and to leave their phones either at home, in their lockers or in their cars. Students also cannot wear hats or hoodies, nor can they bring in bluetooth devices or watches.
Students find that the PSAT can be used to study for their SAT, but some prefer to simply study on their own. Rodriguez, who is not taking the PSAT, said she “just bought a SAT Prep book to study.”
While the PSAT isn’t popular amongst all students, many will still take it to get a sense of the testing process.
