Freshmen Sit for Low-Stakes PSAT

Photo by Ben Mullins

For Walls students, the end of Term 1 signifies the dreaded PSAT. For the class of 2028, it’s a particularly daunting exam, given that it’s the first time the freshmen will sit for a College Board administered test. 

While, like most students, the sophomores and juniors took the PSAT/NMSQT–which, per its name, allows students to qualify for National Merit Scholarships–freshmen take the less common PSAT 8/9. 

In many school districts across the country, freshmen do not take the PSAT 8/9 because it lacks the scholarship opportunities offered by the PSAT/NMSQT. However, within DCPS, all freshmen may take the test for free.  

Kathryn Moore, the Class of 2028 counselor, explained the benefits that prompt Walls administration to encourage all students to take the test. “[The Freshmen] get exposure to the format of the test and the types of questions that are asked. The PSAT 8/9 is practice for the later versions of the PSAT, where you can qualify for National Merit Scholarship, and, of course, practice for the SAT,” she said. 

Furthermore, College Board described the PSAT 8/9 as “a low-stakes test, meaning colleges and scholarship programs will never see the score. [The test] is an early barometer to identify areas of study that may need work.” 

Freshmen Rebecca Frost and Simone Abiy agreed that the exam felt low stakes. Both emphasized that they felt prepared for the content of the exam with pre-existing middle school knowledge. 

Despite the fact that Abiy didn’t find the exam difficult, she thought that taking it was a valuable opportunity. “I felt like I was getting prep for the other PSATs, I felt like I was getting ahead,"she said. 

“It's just extra practice and it doesn’t mean anything, so there's no downside to taking it,” Frost agreed. 

The 2024 PSAT 8/9 scores were published on November 7.