As more colleges and universities shift away from standardized testing for admission criteria, CSArts decided on a shift as well. Part of that decision meant The PSAT was canceled. CSArts administrators and counselors cut the PSAT due to declining student interest and the financial strain it put on the school.
The cancellation has raised concerns by students and parents because the PSAT provides helpful practice for the SAT, and high scores on the practice test can qualify students for merit awards and thousands of dollars in scholarships.
By the time the cancellation was announced and CSArts families started to raise concerns, administrators said that they were, “beyond all of College Board’s deadlines for establishing our school’s PSAT administration, ordering exams, collecting payment, and registering students to test.” This resulted in many students scrambling to find a solution, mostly looking to other local schools. The problem, however, is that many schools don’t allow outside students to take the test.
CSArts is in the process of talking with Duarte Unified to figure out a solution. Duarte Unified has offered to register students and host the PSAT for CSArts students. The details of the deal between CSArts and Duarte are still being worked out.
The CSArtisan asked student counselor, Ms. McMillen, what students could do as an alternative in order to be eligible for scholarships similar to The National Merit Scholarship. McMillen said that students can find other scholarship resources updated monthly on Student Square in the “your counselor section.”
The issues regarding future standardized testing at CSArts and nationally raises important questions regarding the importance of tests for college admissions and the impact on student opportunities. It should also serve as a reminder of the necessity for clear dialogue between administrators and students regarding the changing landscape. Although the PSAT may be less important for college admission, there are still valuable opportunities for students that must be considered.
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