PSAT/PSAT practice

Dear Parents,

This year, the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, or PSAT, will be administered at Montfort on Wednesday, October 14th, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM . The PSAT is a low-stakes exam: it does not require any advance preparation, your scores do not go on your high school academic record, and your prospective colleges are not informed. But because we want our students to do their very best, we would like to offer them the opportunity to take a free practice test here at Montfort on Friday, October 2nd, from approximately 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM. Practice tests have been shown to reduce test anxiety. They will help any student to be better prepared for the “official” PSAT and the SAT.

According to the College Board, the PSAT measures:

* Critical reading skills
* Math problem-solving skills
* Writing skills

Some of the most common reasons for taking the PSAT are:

* To receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study. You can then focus your preparation on those areas that could most benefit from additional study or practice.
* To see how your performance on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college.
* To enter the competition for scholarships from NMSC (grade 11).
* To help prepare for the SAT. You can become familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions you will see on the SAT.
* To receive information from colleges when you check "yes" to Student Search Service.

We are registering all Montfort juniors and sophomores for the ""official" PSAT. If, however, a freshman would also like to take the exam, he or she is welcome to do so (please contact me to register). The fee per student is $15. Please have your son or daughter bring in a check payable to The Montfort Academy by Friday, October 7th.

You can read more about the PSAT on the web site for the College Board, here.


If you have any further questions, please feel free to drop me a telephone message or email. Thank you!


Yours sincerely,

John Pilsner
Director of College Admissions and Guidance