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Madison Metropolitan School District

PSAT Information

Tuesday, October 29th, 2024 at the Alliant Energy Center

What is the PSAT/NMSQT?

This is a practice test for the SAT which measures Reading, Math, and Writing/Language skills.  It is also a qualifying test for National Merit scholarships. Most (but not all) colleges and universities will consider a student’s SAT or ACT scores in their admissions decisions.  Most of these schools will accept scores from either test with no preference. 

When should students take it?

The PSAT/NMSQT is only offered in October each year. The PSAT is typically taken in 11th grade and is a qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship program for juniors. 9th, 10th and 11th grade students are encouraged to take the PSAT® for a variety of reasons: 1) It gives the most up-to-date picture of where you are likely to score on the actual SAT®. This will assist in determining where to spend time and effort in preparing for the SAT® exam. 2) As a junior, you are entered as a part of the National Merit Scholar Qualifying Test (NMSQT®), a competition that awards some top scoring students across the nation with scholarships. 3) Another chance at a practice exam is always a good idea. This will help students get a feel for the actual exam, which may help to reduce testing anxiety.

The test date offered specifically for MMSD students is Tuesday, October 29, 2024  at the Alliant Energy Center during school hours.

How long is the test?

2 hours of testing, plus time for directions.

How can students register?

Registration will be open from September 2nd-24th, 2024.
Registration closes at 11:59pm on Tuesday, September 24th, 2024.
To Register:

  1. Registration is possible only by completing the online form at https://aptsusa.com/mmsd/psat/
  2. Payment can be submitted by mailing in a check OR by paying online with a credit or debit card. A small fee will be added to the exam cost if using a debit or credit card for payment. Mail In Payment instructions will be included in the form and emailed in the order summary. Postmark deadline to ensure timely processing by the deadline is September 18, 2024.

  3. Students who qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch status will enter the Fee Reduction Code 63WTCB in the appropriate field on the online order form. Fee reduction code usage will be verified by APTS with MMSD. Unapproved code usage will result in cancellation of the exam order. All students who would like to register for an exam must complete the order form, regardless of payment amount due, to have an active order.

  4. Per MMSD Policies, cancellation and refunds of the exam fee is not possible.

Need assistance with registering? Email info@aptsusa.com or call 1-855-663-8348.

How long does it take to receive scores/results?

Exam scores are typically released 4-6 weeks after exam administration via the College Board’s BigFuture mobile app (students need to provide a mobile/cell number on exam day to receive scores via this app.)

Please visit College Board’s website for detailed information on how to access PSAT/NMSQT® scores.

What do students need to know about test day?

  • Wear layers to be comfortable regardless of the temperature of the room.
  • Bring a CURRENT school- or government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license or school photo ID.)
  • Students must bring their school-issued Chromebooks in a fully-charged state to the exam (we recommend to bring a charge cord as well!)
  • The “Bluebook” Exam App must be pre-installed on the Chromebook (for school-issued Chromebooks this is automatically done by the school.)
    • Restart the Chromebook before exam day so that the exam app “Bluebook” is the most current version.
  • Students must know what their College Board account/profile log in credentials are – this is the same account you would use to log into MyAP for AP Classes/exams as well as the same account used for SAT exam orders on http://collegeboard.org
    • Students must know the log in credentials and check that they are correct BEFORE exam day since contacting College Board on exam day will not be feasible due to time constraints.
    • Do NOT create a new account or profile if you’re struggling to log into your previously created account! All exam scores and information must be on the same account.
    • If a student is not sure how to log into their College Board accounts, or need to create one, please visit the College Board Accounts page at https://account.collegeboard.org/
  • Students may also bring water and a snack
  • Review the College Board digital exam requirements for exam day (what you may and may not bring): https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/taking-the-test

How should students prepare for the exam?

The College Board offers detailed information as well as preparation tools developed in partnership with The Khan Academy. To access these tools via The College Board’s PSAT/NMSQT® informational page, click here.

Contact

Questions should be directed to East High School Counselor, Ashley Schuchardt, at 204-1636 or aaschuchardt@madison.k12.wi.us.