PSAT in 9th grade?

[MarkT]

My son's charter school wants him to take the PSAT this October.  Since that test is designed for HS 11th graders, I believe it is a waste of time and money.  I will have him take it in 10th grade to warm-up for the real deal in 11th grade.

Saturday morning is when I supplement his math (after-schooling).

 

What do y'all think?

 

 

(my son lasted all of 2 days in the large public high school, he thought it was chaotic (think Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and wanted to go a smaller school so we found another charter)

[Kendall]

I have had two of mine take it in 9th grade, but they are homeschooled and hadn't ever taken a standardized test up to that point so I wanted them to have the experience.  It does give you an idea of weak points in vocabulary/grammar/reading, which might be helpful since you are afterschooling.  The math score I don't worry about because it will come up with two more years of math, but I think they should have the bulk of the vocabulary/grammar/reading they need by 9th grade.   The test might give you an idea of areas to shore up.  

 

 

[KarenNC]

For me, it would depend on how comfortable he is with standardized testing. Has he done any before? Does he typically have test anxiety and will more practice with the test help that? Will all the other 9th graders also be taking it? Will it be offered during the school day by your school or will you have to find another school to administer? If you have to find another school, are there are any testing on a weekend or will he have to miss his regular classes? Here, it's usually given on the Wednesday date, so it tends to mess up schedules for the juniors taking dual enrollment college classes meeting on Wednesday.

 

 

[LinRTX]

I would take it. It doesn't cost that much and missing one morning of supplementing will not put him significantly behind. Maybe you can add a little more math for several weeks to make up for it.

 

Linda

[emzhengjiu]

My daughter took the test in the 9th and 10th grades for practice.  This year will be the one that counts for her.  The practice under real conditions has made her so much more comfortable about standardized testing.  Taking it through our local high school only cost about $15.00.  Last year though, the school had a policy that only their graphing calculators could be used.  We did not know this ahead of time.  Although my daughter still did well on the math portions, being handed an unfamiliar calculator cost her valuable time.  After numerous phone calls, the school has arranged for her to use any approved calculator this year, but I've made sure she is comfortable with TI's graphing calculators just in case.  My point is getting familiar with high stakes testing at a fairly low cost has been a good deal for my daughter.

[creekland]

Our school only has 10th and 11th graders take the test with rare exceptions (like if a student feels they might graduate early).

 

With 9th graders it would be important to know your student.  Are they likely to get motivated by lower scores or discouraged by them?  The first could be beneficial, the latter could really hurt.  Kids differ, so there is no "one" answer.

 

High scores in 9th grade can benefit the psyche, but don't really do anything else.  I've seen kids in 10th grade go DOWN in 11th as they got higher scores in 10th and got pretty cocky about their ability.

[MarkT]

thanks for all the replies -  did anybody considered the psychological downside of taking a test you are not prepared for - I know I would not have wanted to take it in 9th grade myself. 

 

I took it only in 11th grade as a practice for the SAT.  

[Joker]

My dd's school administered to a handful of 8th graders last year and she was one of those. She will also be taking it this October as a freshmen as will the rest of the freshmen in the pre-IB program at her high school. She did zero prep for it last year and did okay. She wasn't nervous at all since she knew it didn't matter. She's not concerned with it this year either and I don't think she's going to do any prep work.

[snowbeltmom]

My kids start taking it in 8th grade, but I use that test to satisfy my state's homeschooling testing requirement. Prior to the 11th grade, they do no prep which helps keep the test very low stress for them.

[regentrude]

I had my DS begin in 9th grade. It is a good prep for later tests and scores are not sent to colleges, so it's low stakes and no pressure.

My kids begin to take the "real" tests in winter of 10th grade, to have time for a re-do in Junior year - so having been in a test situation twice before that is valuable, IMO.

[FrogMom5]

Ds #1 took the test cold in 8th grade.  We prepped him mentally by explaining that we just wanted a baseline to guide us in what areas to concentrate our studies.  He's a perfectionist and getting anything less than an A upsets him. So, yes, we prepped him mentally that he might get very low scores, but it was ok.

 

He handled the lower scores well.  Like other posters, he was homeschooled and not the best test taker anyway, so he needed the practice.  

 

If you think your son will handle it well with a little mental prep. from you, I would let him take the test.  It lets him become familiar with it and shows areas where he needs more study and areas where he just needs to keep up the review.  With so much riding on the test in 11th grade, it could cause anxiety to be seeing it for the first time when it really counts.  If he's seen it before, it may relax him more later.

 

If he will get upset no matter what or doesn't handle the stress of testing, then I would wait. 

 

Whatever you decide, I hope he does well and stays relaxed. 

Denise

[regentrude]

thanks for all the replies -  did anybody considered the psychological downside of taking a test you are not prepared for - I know I would not have wanted to take it in 9th grade myself. 

 

You have to prep the kid to not expect a high score, if they have not covered all the material or not prepared for the test. Then it's not a big deal. Emphasize that it is about the testing procedure and getting familiar with the format.

 

Btw, I do not believe 9th graders are necessarily unprepared - the PSAT really does not have any math beyond very basic algebra and middle school level geometry.

 

I took it only in 11th grade as a practice for the SAT.

 

That's a bit late to serve as prep for the SAT if the student needs high scores and is interested in selective schools. The PSAT results don't get back until February, which only leaves the spring test dates and no time for a re-do if the SAT does not come out well; the senior year fall test dates will get results back too late for Early Admission and may, in some instances, be too late for regular deadlines if those are early. Plus, THAT is a heap of pressure for the kid.

[MarkT]

  With so much riding on the test in 11th grade, it could cause anxiety to be seeing it for the first time when it really counts.  If he's seen it before, it may relax him more later.

 

 

 

Hmm I am not expecting him to be a National Merit scholar.  What else is the PSAT used for these days?

In my day it was practice for the SAT.  I do think it is a good idea to take it in 10th grade.

 

[regentrude]

Hmm I am not expecting him to be a National Merit scholar.  What else is the PSAT used for these days?

In my day it was practice for the SAT.

These two. Practice for standardized tests, and maybe a shot at NM in 11th grade.

But it is a good practice since it is inexpensive, signup is easy, and colleges do not see the scores .

[Kendall]

My children that took it in 9th grade had completed Algebra 1 and one of them was 3/4 through Algebra 1.  I had hit grammar hard in 4th-8th and they had a lot of assigned and free reading prior to 9th grade.  They both scored over 180 in 9th (and 1 of those went on to be a NMF which I would have NEVER expected, the other was in NMF range his 10th grade year and is yet to take it in 11th).    

 

On the other hand, I will probably not have my current 9th grader take it because it would be frustrating to her.  Not so much the score, just taking it.  She is just starting Algebra 1.  

 

You know your student.  But they can surprise you.

 

 

[Lanny]

If your student has taken Geometry it might be OK, but without that, I would wait. I believe it assumes knowledge of Geometry. http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html

[In The Great White North]

 

 

thanks for all the replies -  did anybody considered the psychological downside of taking a test you are not prepared for - I know I would not have wanted to take it in 9th grade myself. 

 

I vaguely remember the results giving her a percentile for her grade, not just among all test-takers.