Juniors and the PSAT/SAT I
Medford High School
Do I need to take the PSAT?
Yes. All juniors should take the PSAT. It gives practice for the SAT I without the cost of the SAT and
without colleges ever receiving the scores. Also, the PSAT is the qualifying test for the National Merit
Program. Although becoming a National Merit Scholar is great because of the scholarship assistance that
the title can bring, becoming a National Merit Letter of Commendation recipient is helpful in seeking
college admission and in seeking scholarship assistance.
Aside from National Merit considerations, some students, after receiving their PSAT scores, will know
how much they need to improve to gain acceptance to the college of their choice while others will know
that they don’t have to worry. A few will discover that they really don’t want to go to college right after
high school and will start considering a career to pursue after graduation.
The PSAT will be administered at Medford High School on Saturday, October 16. The registration fee of
$30.00 (payable to Medford High School) should be mailed or delivered to Ms. Judy Sousa at the 1st
Floor Guidance Suite the last week of September. (Listen to the morning announcement for details.)
Do I need to take the SAT I?
Students who plan to apply to a four-year-college or university need to take the SAT I. Students applying
to two-year colleges should check the admissions requirements for those colleges.
When should I take the SAT I?
Most students who need to take the SAT I (those taking Algebra I in Grade 9) should take the SAT I in
January and May of their junior year in high school. (See Recommended Testing Schedule for further
details.)
Isn’t the SAT I a test for high school seniors?
No. Essentially all high school juniors planning to go to a four-year college have had all the math, reading
and writing instruction that they’ll ever need for the SAT I.
The only students who should wait until their senior year to take the SAT I are those who are committed
to taking an intensive SAT I-prep course during the summer before their senior year or early fall of their
senior year. For all others, their recollection of Algebra II, Geometry, Algebra I and Arithmetic will
become even dimmer as they enter their senior year. Besides, the college-admissions process is very timeconsuming for seniors, who don’t need to be distracted by last-minute test-taking.
What is the registration deadline for the January SAT I?
Thursday, December 23 (After that date, you will be charged a $24.00 late fee.)
How much will it cost me to take the SAT I?
The fee for the SAT I is $47.00.
The fee for the Question and Answer Service is $18.00.
What is the Question-and-Answer Service?
The Question-and-Answer Service (QAS) gives you a chance to review a copy of the SAT I you took, a
record of your answers, the correct answers, and scoring instructions. The service also includes
information about the types of questions and the level of difficulty of each question. (QAS does not
include a copy of your essay. You can view your essay as part of your online score report, or request it via
your paper score report.)
By reviewing the information in the Question-and-Answer Service, you will be able to figure out, for
example, if Geometry was your downfall in the Mathematics sections, if you got the easy Critical Reading
problems wrong and the difficult ones right, and if you misunderstood the Sentence-Correction questions
on the Writing sections.
In any event, you need to learn to avoid in May the kinds of errors that you made in January.
Do I really need the Question-and-Answer Service?
Yes, if you want to do better in May than you do in January. (Of course, if you’re not planning to do
better in May than in January, why would you bother taking the test again in May?)
Can I register for the SAT I online?
Yes. Here’s what you need to do:
• Visit CollegeBoard.com.
• Have a credit card handy. (The College Board accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American
Express.)
• Have your School Code handy. The School Code for Medford High School students is 221365.
• Have your Test Center Code handy. The Test Center Code for students who want to take the SAT I at
Medford High School is 22520. If you really want to take the test here, list 22520 as your second
choice also.
• Register for the January 2010 SAT I.
• Order the Question-and-Answer Service.
Can I register for the SAT I by mail?
Yes. Pick up an SAT I Registration Booklet in the first-floor Guidance Office and generally follow the
advice listed above.
Do I need to prepare for the SAT I?
Yes. Ask your guidance counselor for a list of SAT I-prep courses in the area.
Minimally, you should do the following:
• Obtain a copy of Taking the SAT I from the first-floor Guidance Office
• Read and understand the directions so that you won’t need to spend valuable time reading directions
on test day;
• Take the practice test inside the booklet; and
• Figure out why you got certain questions wrong.
When you receive your scores from the January test, use the Question-and-Answer Service to learn from
your mistakes so that you’ll improve when you take the test again in May.
Paul H. Krueger, Ed. D.
Headmaster