The fall semester at Bellingham High School can be depicted by a few things for upperclassmen; Overflowing schedules, both college applications and preparation, and the thought that even freshman and sophomores can fear… Standardized testing. On October 16th, Bellingham High School hosted the October PSAT.
At Bellingham High School, the PSAT is optional—For the most part. If you were to ask any student from the class of 2026, they would most likely tell you about their experiences with the PSAT. In 2022, an unordinary agreement determined that students of the freshman class during that year (class of 2026) would all take the PSAT, paper copies issued through advisory classes. Since then, students of the class of 2027 and 2028 state that they weren’t required to take it, and some students don’t even know what the PSAT is.
So, what is the PSAT? What does “PSAT” stand for? The PSAT stands for “Preliminary SAT”, with the “SAT” referring to the “Scholastic Aptitude Test.” In the United States, the PSAT is a recognized standardized test that allows students to receive scholarships depending on their scores, whilst being a great model for the SAT, a test that some colleges require their applicants take. Similar to AP classes, the PSAT is administered by The College Board, a nonprofit organization that focuses on the goal of creating opportunities for students regarding higher education.
Without a doubt, one of the biggest ways that The College Board produces opportunities for students is through the PSAT, specifically with the National Merit Scholarship Program. The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition based off the PSAT, acknowledging students with high scores—honoring the top 1% of test takers in their state. As a part of the 2023-2024 school year, a total of twelve Bellingham School District students qualified for the National Merit Contest, with three of them being recognized as semifinalists for the competition. Students that were recognized received a letter that commended their academics, while the semifinalists currently wait in anticipation for the scholarship finalists to be released in the winter of 2025. The National Merit Scholarship Program offers three kinds of scholarships for the 2024 school year, with finalists receiving a payment of $2,500.
Prior to 2023, the test was performed on paper but is now issued digitally. Results were posted on November 7th, also digitally on The College Board website. College applications, standardized tests, and the end of the quarter– It takes no test to see that students at BHS are trying the best they can be.
