St. Catherine of Siena Academy provides students with various standardized tests to help prepare each student for college admissions tests. All freshmen, sophomores, and juniors take the PSAT. By taking the PSAT as a freshman and a sophomore, it helps the student prepare for her junior year when the PSAT counts toward qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Test Day Helpful Tips for your STAR:
- It is important for your daughter to get a good night’s sleep and to eat breakfast on test day.
- Read all the answer choices before marking the answer sheet.
- Use the test book for scratch work.
- Work steadily — don’t waste time on hard questions. Come back to them after answering all the easier questions.
- Check the answer sheet regularly to make sure you’re in the right place.
Students will need to bring the following on test day:
- At least 2 sharpened number two pencils (mechanical pencils or pens are not permitted)
- A water bottle
- A calculator IS allowed for Section 4: Math with Calculator only
Items students should leave at home or in their locker:
If brought, STARS will be required to turn them in before entering the testing room.
- Cell Phones
- Smart Watches, fitness bands
- All electronic device-iPod, iPad, etc.
Test Day Timelines
- 9th Grade
- Freshmen will need to be in the classroom by 7:45 AM and testing will end at approximately 10:40 AM (give or take a few minutes)
- After testing, all freshmen will go to the gym to participate in the Freshmen Halloween Movie Party hosted by Mrs. Houbeck.
- 10th and 11th graders
- Sophomores and Juniors will need to be in the classroom by 7:45 AM and testing will end at approximately 11 AM (give or take a few minutes)
- Student that can drive will be able to go home after dismissal. Students that will need to wait for parent pick up, sophomores will be dismissed to the dining hall and juniors to the atrium.
- 12th Graders
- Senior will need to be in the classroom by 7:45 AM and testing will end at approximately 12:10PM (give or take a few minutes)
- You will be able to go home after dismissal.
PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 Practice Test & More:
STARS are given a PSAT practice. Tenth and eleventh-grade Mathematics and English teachers will be reviewing some of the PSAT questions during your daughter’s class within the next few weeks.
The PSAT has two purposes, to prepare students to take the SAT and to qualify juniors for the National Merit and other scholarships. Students can prepare by going to the College Board website (https://www.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/preparation) Practice tests and sample questions are available. CollegeBoard and Khan Academy also have many tips and helpful suggestions for preparing for the PSAT and SAT.
- Sophomores and Juniors will need to be in the classroom by 7:45 am and testing will end at approximately 11:00 am.
- Students that can drive will be able to go home after dismissal.
- Sophomores that will need to wait for parent pick up will be dismissed to the dining hall.
- Juniors that will need to wait for parent pick up will be dismissed to the atrium.
- https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/practice
Inside the PSAT 9
SCA’s School Code is 233789