PSAT tests free for students

The Department of Education (DOE) and the College Board have paired up to offer the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test, better know as the PSAT, free-of-charge to all 10th and 11th graders.
The news was announced Monday, August 21, by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein. The mayor and chancellor were joined by College Board President Gaston Caperton and Deputy Mayor for Education and Community Development Dennis Walcott for the announcement at the DOE headquarters in Manhattan.
&#8220We must continue to raise the bar and set high expectations for our students and focus on making sure they are afforded every available opportunity,” Klein said. &#8220So many of our students have the potential to succeed in high school and beyond and this new partnership represents our commitment to continuing to remove the barriers that keep them from realizing their potential and reaching their goal.”
On Wednesday, October 18, all 10th and 11th graders enrolled in city public schools will be able to take the PSAT at no cost to the students or the schools. DOE has allocated $1.2 million to cover test expenses for up to 150,000 students.
The PSAT is designed to give students a sneak peak at what the real SAT will be like. It also serves as the National Merit Qualifying Test for 11th grade students. The DOE also plans to use the test to determine prospective students for advanced high school course work and persuade them to consider post-secondary school options.