Eighth graders in Fresno will soon get an early start to prepare for the PSAT's
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Starting this year all freshmen and eighth graders will be prepping for and taking the PSAT. With just two weeks left before the PSAT Edison High School students answer questions and take practice tests to gear up for the exam.
"It's nice to take the PSAT to have some practice, especially to realize where you're not as strong. For me I realized I was really not good at time management," said Alexander Noris, junior.
For the first time ever Fresno Unified is having all eighth and ninth graders take the PSAT.
"It's kind of a culture shift. Because most of the time you're really not thinking about college until ninth grade," said Chantea McIntyre, teacher.
Officials are offering the test for free along with free prep courses through the Khan Academy. Khan Academy is an online resource affiliated with the college board which administers the Scholastic Assessment Test or the SAT.
"Those results will have many implications, but most immediately it will be connected to the Khan academy support. So Khan Academy will diagnose their gaps and their strengths and then from there they'll be able to see really pinpointed supports for students," said McIntyre.
Private prep courses for the SAT's can cost thousands of dollars. Fresno Unified is offering help for free and during school hours to accommodate students' schedules.
The district hopes the students can improve their scores year after year. Students also said the prep courses even help them with their current classes since some of the material overlaps.>
"I'm hoping that it helps me improve in my education itself and my score, because they kind of go together when you're taking it," said Zenaida Urena, freshman.
"The more practice the better. Practice makes permanent as my coach would say," said Noris.
Students at Fresno Unified will take the PSAT on October 19th and they will take it every year from eighth grade until they're juniors. After that, they'll take the SAT.
