The PSAT standardized test offers a unique opportunity for high-scoring high school juniors to be recognized by the National Merit program, earning them a coveted title and special scholarship money. Homewood High School has a strong track record of Merit-recognized students and seeks to increase the number in the coming years by introducing a new prep course.
The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, commonly known as the PSAT, allows students to familiarize themselves with the standardized SAT in a lower-pressure environment. However, for some students with excellent test-taking skills, it also offers the chance to reach National Merit scholar status.
HHS college counselor Ashely Davenport is well-versed in the benefits of the National Merit program. Over the years, she’s recognized how test prep for National Merit hopeful students can greatly increase their chances of reaching the score threshold.
“I don’t think many people realize that you can get a good bit of money out of it,” Davenport said. “If there’s someone who wants to go to college for as little money as possible and they think they can do well on it, then it is definitely worth spending more time studying for it than you might think.”
Semi-finalists are determined on a score-based index, a formula used to decide the PSAT score threshold students must meet to progress past the preliminary round. Then, finalists are chosen from that group in consideration of outside factors including GPA, extracurricular activities and a required essay.
However, the most important step in reaching this competitive cycle is ultimately the 11th-grade PSAT score, and with the help of test prep, this honor is much more achievable for hardworking students.
AP Language Arts teacher Leslie Anastasia has developed HHS’s new PSAT test prep program and has high hopes for the outcome of this additional effort. She recognized a need for students who were trying to go the extra mile with their standardized tests to receive specialized instruction and created a space where they could get that support.
“I had some students in the past who did the off-campus test prep course the school previously offered,” Anastasia said. “They said it was geared more towards the average student trying to just do better on the SAT versus the stellar student trying to be perfect. And so I thought, well, I could do a better job of that, and maybe we could get more National Merit finalists from Homewood because it looks good for the school and is super helpful for students applying to college.”
Students who were selected for the prep course from the junior class were the top 30 scorers on the 10th-grade PSAT. The class meets on Sunday afternoons for about three hours and focuses on specific test-taking strategies for both the English and Math sections in preparation for the Oct. 2 test date.
The Math review lessons are taught by 12th-grade calculus teacher and math team coach Mark Helmers, and the English sessions are led by Mrs. Anastasia.
Anastasia is confident that the number of National Merit scholars from HHS can only go up with additional testing resources.
“I think the most we’ve ever had was 15 National Merit Scholars,” Anastasia said. “Maybe I’m crazy, but I think we can double that. Maybe not this year, because we’re still getting used to this new prep cycle, but I think next year that’s a good goal to reach for. We’re one of the best schools in the state, and so we should be stomping everybody else in the number of National Merit scholars we have.”
