By: Valentina Medina
Bark! Voice of the Bulldogs
Copy Editor

Every sophomore in the Clark County School District was required to take the PSAT test during school on Oct 13.
This practice test provided to the students helps students gain the knowledge and experience of what to expect for the ACTs.
These standardized tests are crucial, as they are used for college administration. However, teachers are not preparing the students well enough to score well on the tests.
“As a parent, I feel as though there is no good preparation given for the PSATs or the ACTs. I find that kids do a lot of self-preparation for these tests if they have the desire and self-motivation to accomplish a good score. The PSATs are going to give the kids a guide on what to expect, but the teachers need to step up their game and prepare these kids for success on these required tests,” parent, Barbra Medina said.
Math and English teachers did not review anything for the PSATs, they just mentioned briefly to the students that the test was in a few days. This left students feeling overwhelmed and doubting the ability to complete the PSAT test.
“I feel like they gave us no time to study and actually do well on it, so we won’t do well on the ACTs next year. I don’t know, I just wish I had more time to prepare for it,” sophomore, Madeline Ream said.
Many students found it annoying that everyone had to take the test for half of their school day, especially since colleges no longer require applicants on the West coast to take the SATs.
“The PSAT can go one of two ways for students. It can help, or it can hinder. For those select students proficient and intelligent enough at test-taking and comprehending the task at hand, the PSAT provides a pathway to receiving financial aid in the future of students’ education. However, for those unfortunate souls who are not blessed with confidence or the knowledge needed for the test, it only takes away crucial instruction time from a student’s educational day,” sophomore, Carly Jones said.
Looking on the bright side, nothing negative can come out of taking the PSAT now that it is over. It prepared the sophomores for the ACTs, and if a student scores high enough, that student may be offered a scholarship.