October 15, 2018

SAN LEANDRO, CA:  Last Wednesday marked the 4th annual Free PSAT in San Leandro Unified School District. Almost 1,000 10th and 11th-grade students took the 2018 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) during the school day on the district’s dime. Besides offering the chance to practice before taking the SAT, students who take the exam gain access to personalized Khan Academy online SAT prep and are provided access to interested colleges while being entered into the National Merit Scholarship competition.  Twenty hours of practice on Khan Academy is associated with an average 115-point score increase from the PSAT/NMSQT to the SAT, nearly double the average gain without this support.  The SAT exam is offered for free in the spring to all SLUSD juniors during the school day.

Access to critical college entrance exams is one important aspect of SLUSD’s initiatives to support college and career readiness. “We are committed to removing barriers to access for all of our students,” said district superintendent Dr. Mike McLaughlin, “which is why we offer the PSAT and SAT for free during the school day. We want to make sure all students have the same opportunities for success.”

For the latest news from the San Leandro Unified School District, please visit slusd.us.