Every October, sophomores and juniors take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test. In the past, students took the standard paper PSAT, but this year, College Board, the organization that administers the PSAT, decided to switch to an online format.
This decision coincides with the transition from the paper official SAT to the online SAT. The last paper SAT will be administered on Dec. 7.
“Going digital allows us to offer much more flexibility in terms of when, where, and how often the SAT is given,” according to the College Board website.
Juniors Charlie Buonamici and Bowen Thomas agreed that the online version of the test was easier than last year’s paper version.
Buonamici says he had 17 minutes left over in the first math section, which was 32 minutes long.
Last year, Thomas struggled to finish the English section and did not complete the second math section.
This year, however, Thomas, who qualified for extra time, finished the second math section in 20 minutes. He had 55 total minutes to complete the math section.
The test was administered through an app called “Bluebook.” Director of College Counseling Peter Olympia says the main concern was problems with downloading the updates needed for the app to work. Relying on technology was difficult, as well as the concerns revolving around a possible power or internet outage.
The training of test proctors was also different this year, as the teachers had to know more about the ins and outs of the program so they could aid in any technical difficulties.
The selection process for proctors usually depends on sophomore and junior advisors. Often, advisors are in the same room in which their advisees are testing.
“I appreciated having a friendly face in the testing room. It made me feel calmer for the test,” junior Chris Williams said.
On Nov. 16, the College Board released the results of the PSAT.
Williams says he felt it went smoother this time around. He says his score was “way better” and felt the process was easier.
“The test ran smoother than I could’ve ever expected,” Williams said.
