Crockett Junior Recognized for PSAT Scores
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
CROCKETT – The SAT is a test that most students take at the end of their junior or senior years to help them qualify for acceptance into college. The test can be bewildering – most of it centered on math and language abilities. The scores are used by universities to judge a student’s grasp of the knowledge learned in high school.
When Crockett Junior Christopher Hernandez took the test about a year ago, he was only a sophomore. He took it seriously – but didn’t really go out of his way to prepare for the test.
“When I found out that I would be taking the test, I knew it would be something important if I could do well and score high,” Hernandez said. “I tried to study and prepare for the test, but I couldn’t prepare as much as I would have liked. I didn’t expect to do that well. I just went in with my previous knowledge.”
Hernandez’s score – without preparation and a year earlier than most – was in the top 10% of the test scores. Hernandez was recognized by the College Board National Recognition Program. His PSAT (preliminary SAT) scores earned him the award for National Rural and Small Town Award and National Hispanic Recognition Award.
Hernandez, who also speaks Spanish, said the language part of the test was more difficult for him than the math.
“There were parts of the English test where I couldn’t understand all of the passage,” Hernandez recalled. “I could usually understand from the syntax though. For the most part, the math was easier – but only the parts that I had already learned in class. There were a few questions that I hadn’t already learned in class. They were further into algebra than I had taken at the time.”
Many recommend skipping questions if you do not know the answer, as a wrong answer is scored worse than a non-answer. Hernandez opted to answer all of the questions the best he could.
“I still guessed,” Hernandez said. “If I didn’t know what it was exactly it was just because I hadn’t yet covered that subject in class. I tried to narrow it down to maybe what I thought the concept was. I had to work it out myself.”
The 16-year-old loves his math and science as evidenced by his score on the PSAT.
“My favorite subject is math,” Hernandez said. “This year I am taking pre-calculus honors. I also like science – chemistry and physics.”
Asked what he does in his spare time, Hernandez said he doesn’t devote himself to many hobbies other than learning.
“I usually don’t have a lot of time for that sort of thing, but I enjoy watching Spanish television,” Hernandez said. “Recently, I have been trying to learn Portuguese.”
Hernandez will take the test again near the end of his junior year – and if he scores as high the next time – he will be eligible for a national merit scholarship award.
Hernandez said although he doesn’t know exactly what profession he will eventually decide to pursue – he knows the general area he wants to work in.
“I know I want to go to college,” Hernandez said. “Right now I am looking to do something in the STEM field (Science, technology, engineering and math). Maybe engineering or chemistry.”
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
