This year, the PSAT went digital, with students using a platform called Bluebook on MCPS issued computers for testing. The PSAT was switched to a digital format so students could familiarize themselves with the testing interface. This prepares students for upcoming SAT exams, which will solely be done on computers starting in 2024.
“It was easier that it was on chromebook…it would have taken more time on paper,” sophomore Karla Rojas said.
There are many ways that students have studied for the exam, with some buying textbooks and hiring tutors for practice. Websites like Khan Academy and Bluebook have created more equity between students by making test preparation tools completely free for anyone to use.
Though this digitalization is meant to streamline the testing process, it opens up the possibility for a variety of errors with the computer system, especially since this is the first year these tests are digital. At RM, testing went smoothly, allowing all students to be able to successfully take the exam. However, some MCPS high schools were not able to conduct the exam properly and many students were not successfully able to complete the test.
“There were kinks that needed to be worked out as we went through the whole registration process and making sure that we had everything set for testing day,” Assistant Principal Sara Baudry said, who is the administrator who organized the PSAT.
At first, MCPS considered canceling the PSAT after receiving negative feedback from many schools. However, schools were able to decide whether or not to continue to administer the test thus, RM was able to conduct the exam with limited disruptions.
“We were in a good place because we tried to frontload as much of the technology checks as possible ahead of time,” Ms. Baudry said.
At RM, students completed a digital readiness check through their homeroom classes, which contributed to a successful testing experience.
College Board, the organization that administers these tests, said that the new PSAT “Is easier to take, shorter, has more time per question and comes with a built-in calculator.”
Additionally, for exams similar to the SAT, digitalization improves the security of testing documents, making it more difficult for students to cheat.
Juniors at RM taking the PSAT are eligible to be finalists for the National Merit Scholarship. Students who score high enough and meet other academic requirements could win scholarship money towards college education after high school.
According to the College Board, out of 1.5 million applicants, only 16,000 reached the semifinals and 15,000 reached the finals. Recently, 20 MCPS students were selected for this scholarship, with three of them being RM students.
Other than this award, PSAT scores are meant to be a preparation for the SATs to get students used to the testing interface, rather than the be-all and end-all for college applications.
“The PSAT gives you a prediction of how you would do at this point, but lets you know what you should work on before you actually take the SAT,” Ms. Baudry said.
