As a part of Leander ISD’s continuing commitment to helping all students become college-ready, students in 9th, 10th and 11th grades will take an official PSAT and 8th-grade students will have an opportunity to take a full-length practice PSAT 8/9.

Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) will be administered to 10th and 11th-grade students on Oct. 26. The PSAT/NMSQT is a standardized test that, like the SAT, measures the knowledge and skills in reading, writing, and math that students learn in the classroom—the same knowledge and skills your child needs to succeed in college and career. Students who take the PSAT/NMSQT may qualify for a chance to win scholarships and recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and our other scholarship partners. Learn more about the scholarships.

Ninth-grade students will take the official PSAT 8/9 in late April of 2022. The PSAT 8/9 tests the same skills and knowledge as the SAT and PSAT/NMSQT, and it does so in a way that makes sense for this age group. It measures what students are already learning, shows them whether they’re on track for college, and lets them know where they need improvement. That means students have time to tackle these areas long before they take the SAT.

Leander ISD will no longer offer the official PSAT 8/9 to eighth-grade during the school day in order to reduce instructional school day interruptions and to offer a more meaningful PSAT 8/9 experience for eighth-grade students and their families. Leander ISD is pleased to announce that we are partnering with More Than A Teacher (MTAT), a local test prep company, to provide eighth-grade students the opportunity to take a free full-length practice PSAT 8/9. 

Eighth-grade students will not only receive their scores the same day of the exam, they will also receive expert instruction on how to interpret their scores, and individualized feedback and test-taking tips from MTAT teachers directly after the exam. Another exciting feature that is included in this opportunity is the parent workshop that MTAT will hold during the last 30 minutes of the exam. In this workshop parents will learn about the PSAT, SAT and ACT, how students can improve their scores, and what to expect regarding college entrance exams over the next three years. 

We are hopeful this change from a school day eighth-grade PSAT will provide both students and parents a more meaningful understanding of the PSAT and how to improve scores on future college entrance exams. Parents may register their eighth-grade students to take the full-length practice PSAT 8/9 on either Nov. 2 or Nov. 6. Please see the registration information below.

  • Tuesday, Nov. 2 (staff development day), 8 a.m.-12:30p.m. at Vista Ridge High School Cafeteria, or
  • Saturday, Nov. 6, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Rouse High School Cafeteria 

Click here to access the practice PSAT 8/9 registration link