Opt-in PSAT Testing at PA on 10/15/22. Juniors may opt to take the PSAT/NMSQT on Saturday, October 15, 2022. The main purpose of the PSAT exam is to familiarize students with timed college entrance testing and with the general format of the SAT (check out free practice resources on College Board’s website). The results of the PSAT exam in the junior year are also used to qualify students for the National Merit Scholarship Competition. We encourage students who earned a National Merit Selection Index of 185 or higher on the PSAT as sophomores to consider some preparation for this year’s PSAT, as it is possible that, as juniors, these students may score highly enough to qualify for recognition as National Merit Semi-Finalists or Commended Students. Students interested in PSAT prep might consider Breakaway Test Prep’s ‘PSAT bootcamps’. Contact Ron Michalak, Breakaway’s president, at to learn more.
Opt-in ACT at PA on 10/18/22 (for Seniors and Juniors): Juniors may opt-in to take the ACT exam or engage in alternate school programming that day Register HERE no later than September 7. Questions? Please contact Mrs. McMullin at
College Representatives at PA (and Regional Information Sessions): We have over 60 college representatives scheduled for daytime visits to PA from mid-September to late October. These are scheduled before and after school, as well as during elective periods. Scheduled visits will be included in Naviance Student, the E-Bulletin, and in announcements. Additionally, your student will receive a system email from the Naviance platform if colleges on one of their college lists schedule a visit. Please consult our College Visit Policy/Procedure Resourcefor more info.
Colleges will also inform our office (and students on their mailing lists) about public information sessions they are hosting in the Twin Cities region. These events are typically held at hotels, public libraries, or schools on weeknights or weekend afternoons. Students will receive information directly from colleges if they are on their mailing lists. Many colleges make note of an applicant’s “demonstrated interest” during admission deliberations. This favors students who have visited campus, attended the college’s visit to the high school, spoken to a college representative at a college fair, or who accepted an invitation to meet with an admission representative during his or her stay in the Twin Cities.
