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While high school students don't always enjoy taking standardized tests, many juniors at Brighton High School expressed appreciation for the opportunity to prepare for the SAT with the PSAT.
Juniors are under a lot of stress with SAT, classes, preparing for college and so much more. Do juniors really need the added work of taking the PSAT as well? Does the PSAT even prepare students for the SAT in the spring, or are they just taking up time that could be used on classwork? This was the question several Brighton High School juniors, who took the PSAT on Oct. 8, 2025, considered.
While not all students enjoy taking standardized tests, many juniors are thankful for the PSAT because it gives them an idea of what the SAT will feel like and the kind of pressure they will be under on test day.
“I think it [the PSAT] definitely contributes because it does kind of get you to the headspace of what the test feels like,” junior Alexis Alford said.
Some juniors also feel like the PSAT is necessary because it prepares them for the overall format of the SAT and what types of questions may appear on the day of the test.
“I benefit a lot from seeing a format before I do it, so having the PSAT is really helpful to me,” Alford said.
Having the PSAT available to juniors also gives them the chance to qualify for college scholarships based on their score. These scholarships are very beneficial to students because they can help students’ parents pay for part of their college tuition. The National Merit Scholarship program, which students can qualify for by performing well on the PSAT, helps to supply students with these scholarships and make kids’ college application experiences easier.
Overall, many juniors at BHS, while not necessarily enjoying the standardized test, do feel like the PSAT is helpful and worth taking.
“I think they were actually really helpful even if it’s like [not] what we want to do,” junior Auria Boren said.
Many juniors believe that having the PSAT in the fall will improve their chances of doing well on the SAT in the spring, furthermore improving their chances at getting into their desired college senior year.
“Having the PSAT is really helpful to me,” Alford said.