Over 200 students filed onto campus on a Saturday morning equipped with an ID, No. 2 pencils, eraser, and calculator. For years, underclassmen take the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test, or PSAT, to prepare for the SAT in their junior or senior year.

PSATs are administered in three segments, which are comprised of two sections of critical reading and math, and one section of writing skills. Both critical reading and math sections last 25 minutes, while the writing skills section lasts 30 minutes. Presumably, the test will end around 11:00 to 11: 45 a.m.

Students with questions can visit the school’s college counselor Malia Kau at the CCRC (room 131), or go online to collegeboard.com for information and study preparation tips.

Earning high scores is advantageous for students, as the PSAT opens up opportunities for high school juniors to gain scholarships or attention from colleges. PSAT/NMSQT scores on a scale from 20 to 80, and average scores range from 42-49. Using score results, a student can also estimate their anticipated score on the SAT, which students generally take in their junior and senior year.