By J1 Student Violet Crawford

The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) is a test taken by students nationwide. Students usually take this once or multiple times, depending on their grades as well as classes and just how prepared they would like to be in general. With this, the test is meant to assist in preparing students for the real Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and qualify them for the National Merit Program. Sophomores and juniors alike take this every year at Marian, as it is required for juniors and optional for sophomores. This year, though, Marian did it just a little bit differently.

The PSAT is traditionally  taken on paper  with bubble sheets, but this year it was done online with technology such as iPads and laptops. The taking of the PSAT was originally scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 11. Yet, the night before, the students meant to take it got a big surprise. It was announced on the night of Oct. 10 that school was canceled for the next day, due to technical difficulties with the online exam. 

The College Board, who administers the test, told Marian officials that there was an incompatibility problem with Apple iPads and the PSAT. All Marian students use iPads. Any iPad that had an operating system of 17 would not work on the math portion of the test. According to Dr. Sharon Genoways, this impacted more than half of the students scheduled to take the test. This might seem like a positive surprise and news for students and maybe even teachers, but there are many differing opinions as well as complicated effects behind the cancellation of the test.

Due to the PSAT being rescheduled at last minute, teachers and staff alike had to change their lesson plans rapidly. “Teachers of the test takers had to develop a 2-day lesson that would work for both days,” Genoways said. “[They] tried to be understanding of this and hopefully made arrangements to accommodate the students who missed class.” This was a complicated process, and required lots of complex planning changes. 

In addition to the teachers difficulty with this scheduling change, students at Marian struggled as well. “It was definitely confusing,” Marykate Farnham ‘25 said. “I had to try to adjust the quickest I could to the change.”

The students then took the PSAT electronically the week of Oct. 16, after the issue was resolved, and their scores were released from the College Board a month later on Nov. 16.