(Oct. 28, 2010) — The PSAT was administered at Clark on Wednesday, Oct.13. Administrators and counselors decided to hold it on a weekday instead of a Saturday this year to avoid any schedule overlaps. A simple change in the PSAT testing day can easily alter the mindset of any student. “Week days are better, where I’m ready and focused and I actually have the intent of being at school,” junior Erica Barin said. Three weeks prior to the administration of the PSAT, sophomore Alex Deravanessian was at the Glendale Assistance League learning the do’s and don’ts of taking the SAT. “I want to get ahead,” said Deravanessian, “That’s why I took the prep course; the booklet didn’t go over the specifics and details like the class did.” Deravanessian admitted to not studying or preparing for the test using any other sources. According to counselor Karen Carlson, one common mistake students make – especially sophomores – is to overstudy for the PSAT. She says that it is a much better idea for sophomores to take the test without a great deal of studying. That way, they get an idea of how much they must know prior to studying. According to Barin, juniors tend to take the PSAT a bit more seriously because they are given the chance to earn scholarships for college. “The top few who receive the highest test scores are given scholarship opportunities by the National Merit program,” Carlson said. The scholarships are given to students with high test scores and good grades in rigorous courses. Some students do not agree with the time allotted for each section. Twenty-five minutes is given for each testing section – barely enough time to finish, according to Barin. “Five extra minutes would have been better,” she said. “It would have given me some time to check my answers.” While taking the PSAT, students must answer questions quickly and accurately. “The SAT is a power test – it’s about how much you get done in however short amount of time,” Carlson said. Students need to understand just how much time they have for each section in the PSAT.