The SAT is a crucial factor of college applications that 95% of colleges critically look at for potential students. DHS held its annual Practice SAT on October 19. Dublin High Students payed $18 in hopes of getting a true representation of what the SAT will actually be like from a difficult standpoint.
“The PSAT covered previous courses I took sophomore year,” says Harleen Bains, Junior.
The SAT is longer than the PSAT. MUCH longer. The PSAT comprises 5 sections, four of which are 25 minutes and one of which is 30 minutes. That amounts to a testing time of 130 minutes, or 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Well, even though thats a question that could be constantly asked it doesn’t deter the fact that colleges critically look at a students SAT scores.
“I was shocked the PSAT was actually pretty difficult,” says Alicia Tran, Junior.
The PSAT is considered exceptionally- easier due to the less complicated math and no written essay.
“The SAT was easy. I felt like the questions on it weren’t relevant to my junior year but they were relatively easy,” stated Vanessa Poupich, Junior.
DHS students have mixed opinions on the PSAT. Whether it was easy or hard, the PSAT is just a taste of what is coming soon. When that time of year comes the SAT is mailed to DHS. According to usnews.com, only five percent of colleges in the United States do not rely on SAT scores when they look at student’s transcripts.
“I am so stoked for the SAT, because it was SO easy,” says Xenia Perea, a Sophomore.
While most schools, particularly competitive ones, consider SAT scores, different schools weight the scores differently. Some consider SAT no more important than extracurricular activities, while others weight SAT scores even more significantly than grades. For example, the University of Georgia emphasizes that it weights GPA and the rigor of your curriculum at two to three times the rate it weights the SAT.