PSAT/ NMSQT - Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Please arrive at South County High School between 7:50 and 8:00 AM (normal school arrival time). Busses will be running their normal morning routes. Details can also be found on the SCHS PSAT Information Page.
Make sure you bring a mask and wear it at all times within the building. Room assignments were sent to 10th and 11th graders and their families last week via email.
Planning for the PSAT - What to Bring
Students must bring the following materials with them on the day of the exam, which are required to take the assessment.
- Student ID – a method of identification including a picture. Examples include:
- School Picture ID- your school ID (this year or last year’s) is acceptable
- Driver’s License with Picture
- You do NOT need a testing ticket for this test.
- Mask - Masks are required to be worn at all times.
- No. 2 pencils- do NOT bring mechanical pencils or pens – pencils will NOT be available on Test day
- Emergency contact information - this is simply a piece of paper with your name and a contact phone number in case of emergency (since many of us don’t have phone numbers memorized in this technological era anymore)
Students are permitted to bring the following materials.
- Hand sanitizers and/or wipes - May be taken into the exam room but must remain underneath the desk while the exam is underway
- Approved calculator - Schools will not provide calculators on the day of testing. Further details regarding approved calculators can be found here.
- Food/water - May be taken into the exam room but must remain underneath the desk while the exam is underway and may be accessed outside of the testing room only during breaks, unless a specific accommodation allows otherwise
Students are prohibited to use the following materials in the testing room and during breaks.
- Use of electronic devices is prohibited from the time the student is admitted to the building until they are dismissed at the end of the test, including break times. Specifically:
- Students may not handle or access a cell phone or electronic device at any time in the testing room or during break times. This includes smart watches, fitness bands, and any other devices with recording, internet, or communication capabilities.
- All devices, including cell phones and wearable devices, must be turned off and placed out of sight
More information regarding the PSAT/ NMSQT can be found in the PSAT/ NMSQT Guide. Hard copies of this document are available in the Student Services office.
Grab and go breakfast will be available in the cafeteria before the test.
Once you are dismissed, grab and go lunch will be available and busses will be running all normal routes at 12:45 PM.
Please make sure you are in your test room no later than 8:10 AM on Wednesday, October 13.
PSAT/ NMSQT - Update and Pre-Survey Opt Out
On Wednesday, October 13, tenth and eleventh grade students will be taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) exam.
School Day Schedule
All FCPS high schools will operate on a two-hour early release schedule. High school academy courses and all high school shuttles will be canceled on this day.
FCPS transportation is available for all students participating in the PSAT/NMSQT. Regular bus routes will be provided in the morning and after the early release. Families of students requiring alternate transportation arrangements due to accommodated testing will be contacted directly by the SAT School Day Coordinator.
At the beginning of the exam session, students see a voluntary pre-survey that asks questions about a variety of topics. You may opt out of this pre-survey for your student. You may view the pre-survey questions and access further information about this option on the SAT and PSAT Pre-Survey Opt-Out Policy webpage at https://www.fcps.edu/node/36639.
If you choose to opt your student out of the pre-survey, please notify Chris Bird (@email) by Friday, October 8, 2021, and include your student’s full legal name and FCPS ID number in the email. Please be sure your student knows they should not answer the pre-survey questions at the beginning of the test.
If you have questions about the PSAT/NMSQT administration, please contact Chris Bird, School Test Coordinator, at @email.
PSAT/ NMSQT - Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is pleased to announce plans to offer the Preliminary SAT (PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) to students in grades 10-11 this fall. The test will be administered on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, and will be free of charge to enrolled FCPS students. A PSAT/NMSQT Testing Notification letter is posted online. The purpose of this letter is to provide general information about the PSAT/NMSQT School Day opportunity.
The PSAT/NMSQT is a standardized test that measures mathematics and evidence-based reading and writing. The test focuses on reasoning skills, knowledge, and comprehension. It is designed to promote college readiness while preparing students for college entrance assessments. Information about test content and format can be found on the College Board PSAT/NMSQT webpage (https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/inside-the-test/key-features). The PSAT/NMSQT is co-sponsored by the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. While only students in grade 11 are eligible to compete for National Merit Scholarships, students in grade 10 who take the PSAT/NMSQT gain excellent practice for the PSAT/NMSQT in grade 11 and the SAT college entrance assessment.
- Students will NOT need to register for the test in advance – a test will be available to every 10th and 11th grader at South County High School on October 13.
- Information on activities for 9th graders for October 13th will be forthcoming.
- PSAT/NMSQT administration begins in the morning, according to regular school start times.
- High school academy courses are not held on October 13; high school academy staff will support base school activities, and all high school shuttles are cancelled on this date.
- FCPS transportation is available to all students who regularly use FCPS bus transportation.
We will share exam day schedules and additional details in the coming weeks. If you have questions about the PSAT/NMSQT administration at South County High School, please contact Chris Bird, SCHS School Test Coordinator, at @email or at 703-446-1643.
From: South County High School
Sent to: All Parents of Rising Tenth and Eleventh Grade Students
Subject: PSAT/NMSQT Testing and Accommodations
Earlier this summer, we announced plans to offer the Preliminary SAT (PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) to students in grades 10-11 on October 13, 2021. A PSAT/NMSQT Testing Notification letter (https://www.fcps.edu/node/38354) is posted online.
This message is a reminder about the August 10, 2021 deadline for requesting new or amended College Board testing accommodations for the PSAT/NMSQT. If you have already initiated this process with the school or if your student does not meet the criteria below you may disregard this message.
Students with disabilities who have testing accommodations documented in a 504 Plan or an individualized education program (IEP) may be eligible for testing accommodations on the PSAT/NMSQT. The College Board must approve a formal request for each student. If the student already has College Board accommodations approved from a previous PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, SAT, or AP test, then no further action is needed. Once instated, accommodations remain in place for all College Board testing. The Accommodations Process for College Board Testing webpage provides instructions on how to request College Board testing accommodations, including the required input and consent forms (Enclosures 2-3). To request new or amended College Board accommodations for the October PSAT/NMSQT, return the input and consent forms to the school by August 10, 2021. When returning forms, deliver to:
ATTN: Telia Johnson, SSD Coordinator
South County High School
8501 Silverbrook Road
Lorton, VA 22079
If you have questions about College Board testing accommodations for the PSAT/NMSQT, contact Telia Johnson at @email . We will share more specifics about the October 13 PSAT/NMSQT testing opportunity at the beginning of the school year.