In mid-October, students in grades nine, ten, and eleven in FCPS schools and across the United States will take the preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). While only students in grade eleven are eligible to compete for National Merit Scholarships, we know that taking the test in earlier grades provides excellent practice for taking the PSAT in grade eleven and for taking the SAT.

The PSAT measures critical reading, writing skills, and math problem-solving skills. It assesses a student's ability to reason with facts and concepts rather than the ability to recall and recite them. The test includes two 25 minute critical reading sections, two 25 minute math sections, and one 30 minute writing section. Test administration requires two hours and ten minutes. Students receive three scores: critical reading, math, and writing. FCPS and Hayfield Secondary are paying for all tenth and eleventh-grade students to take the PSAT on 

October 14 (these students will be registered automatically by Hayfield). Ninth-grade students who would like to take the PSAT may register by contacting Ms. Chris Lemnitzer in the main office. The cost of the test is $17 for ninth-grade students (check made to Hayfield Secondary).

All students who complete the test will receive the new Score Report Plus, which will provide feedback created for individual students based upon their unique patterns of response to the test questions.

Students may prepare for the PSAT by taking rigorous academic courses, thoroughly reading the PSAT Student Bulletin available at school, getting a good night's sleep prior to the test, and eating breakfast the morning of the test.