9th, 10th and 11th grade ONLY
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Downey High School will be giving an optional administration of the PSAT 9 and PSAT/NMSQT on Tuesday, October 25, 2022. It will be a regular school day for most Vikings, but students interested in taking the PSAT report to the gym at 8:30am. They will miss their periods 1-4 to take the exam. While their attendance will be cleared, they will be responsible for making up class work they miss.
Over the last year and a half, there have been significant changes announced to 4-year college admission exam requirements (SAT/ACT). The Downey Unified Counseling Department wants to make sure all students are fully informed before deciding whether or not to register for the PSAT.
- The University of California (UC) system of schools will NOT consider SAT or ACT test scores when making admissions decisions or awarding scholarships. UC Exam Information
- Effective March 2022, The California State University (CSU) system NO LONGER USES SAT or ACT examinations in determining admission eligibility for all CSU campuses. CSU Exam Information
- For private colleges/universities and out-of-state public schools, please check the school’s website to verify, as many schools have moved to a testing optional policy.
- Students interested in applying to the United States Service Academies (Westpoint, the Naval Academy, Airforce Academy), WILL need an SAT score.
DHS is offering the PSAT 9 to 9th graders and the PSAT/NMSQT to 10th and 11th graders to assist counselors with placement in AP/Honors courses. Students who are planning on applying to private or out-of-state universities, might still need a SAT score and taking the PSAT is great practice.
Since we are testing in the gym, we have a limited number of exams available. You can request a spot for the test by completing this Google Form.
Our testing coordinators, Mrs. Nastase and Mrs. Hudson, will contact your student to confirm their spot. Sign ups are on a first come basis so sign-up early. Once the seats are full, additional students wanting to take the PSAT will be placed on a waitlist and contacted if/when spots are available.
If you have any questions, please email Lauren Nastase (lnastase@dusd.net) or Jennifer Hudson (jhudson@dusd.net)
*Guide to acronyms used:
(NMSQT)- National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
(PSAT)- Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test
(ACT)- American College Test