On Wednesday, October 19, juniors will be eagerly sharpening their number 2-lead pencils as they embark on the annual PSAT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) with close to over a million and a half other eleventh-grades students worldwide, including those juniors enrolled in American schools abroad.

The test covers reading, writing (grammar, punctuation, and sentence construction), and math. Free practice tests on the College Board site and free tutorials by Khan Academy can adequately help prepare students for this exam.

Tori Abell’18 said “The best thing you can do is to get more sleep and not be on the phone as much the night before. I would say to try to stick to your normal routine. If you are not a coffee drinker, don’t drink coffee the morning before the test.”

A good night of sleep—instead of cramming the night before—is what test experts recommend. Pack an energy bar for the 5-minute break. Relax and focus as you answer the questions. Good luck, Academy, and don’t forget how critical those ‘zzz’s” are the night before!