CATES Blog

For many students and parents, the PSAT is their first encounter with the SAT process and it can be very daunting. The format is foreign, the PSAT’s relationship to the SAT unknown, and thus the PSAT’s importance seems vague.  A lot of misinformation gets spread in school communities about the PSAT, so lets try and dispel the myths.

Colleges do not see the PSAT.  The PSAT, or Preliminary SAT, is a diagnostic tool for students and parents to get a sense of what the SAT is like.  Colleges have no access to your score, nor are they interested in it. It is a test that is, first and foremost, for the student.

The only practical ramification of the PSAT pertains to the National Merit Scholarship.  Students who place in the 99^th percentile (in most states) of the PSAT become eligible for a National Merit Scholarship.  A high score doesn’t guarantee that you will be awarded a scholarship, it only means you are eligible.  Basically, it’s the cherry on top, but not the real purpose of the PSAT exam.

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How can I get organized, and stay organized?

If you’re like most high school students, you’re probably feeling intimidated–if not overwhelmed–at the prospect of keeping up with your schoolwork, writing admissions essays, and taking the ACT or SAT exam (or maybe even both!).  With so much to do, and so much at stake, it’s incredibly important to stay organized.

1. Make sure that you have a place to work that’s free of distractions.  You’re going to find it a lot more difficult to memorize SAT vocabulary lying in bed than you will sitting on a bench in the park, or–better yet–a chair in the library.
2. Keep your phone off and, if possible, your computer offline.  Right now, school is your job, so treat your schoolwork and college admissions prep the same way you would treat your office job, if you had one.  Stay focused.
3. Keep you room and backpack clean and organized.  The organized you are in your physical spaces the more your thoughts and work will ordered. If this is something you struggle with, CATES Tutors have great strategies to keep your life from getting messy.
4. Set goals for the month, the semester, and the year.  If you fee like you are working towards something specific, like increasing an SAT or ACT Test Score, you will be greatly helped.
5. Don’t Multitask. Tt may seem like a great idea to multitask, but studies show you’ll accomplish more if you stay completely focused on one thing at a time. Making listss of what you need to do, either on your own or with a CATES Tutor and prioritize the tasks on it.
6. Don’t Procrastinate. It’s tempting to delay preparing for big projects, like term papers, or prepping for the SAT or ACT exams.  Don’t.  Break down big projects into smaller steps.  If you have to memorize eight hundred SAT vocabulary words, over six weeks, how many words do you need to learn each day?  If you need extra practice on geometry problems, how much time should you devote to geometry each week?

If you’re having trouble figuring out what to prioritize, or how to get everything done, you may want to meet with a CATES tutor, who can help you figure it out.  Getting organized and staying organized is helpful for anybody, and it’s especially important for high schoolers negotiating the college admissions process.

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How can I prepare for my first year in college?

Summer’s already drawing to a close, and you’re on the verge of heading into your freshman year of college.  After years of AP classes and college board exams—not to mention writing admissions essays and visiting various campuses—you’re probably relieved to be done with high school, and also a little terrified of what challenges college may have in store.

Here’s the good news.  The same skills you’ve developed in preparing for the ACT and SAT, in juggling classes and extracurricular activities, and in putting together college applications are going to serve you well

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