2025-2026 PreACT and PSAT 

PreACT: 

All sophomores will take the PreACT  in October as part of North Carolina’s college readiness initiative.  There is no need to pre-register or sign up.  All 10th grade students take the PreACT for free.  Information/details will be shared with students in class prior to testing. 

The Pre-ACT is a standardized, curriculum-based, multiple-choice achievement test that includes four areas: English, mathematics, reading and science, reported on the same scale as the ACT. Results are used by high schools for advising and counseling students, by WCPSS for evaluating instructional effectiveness and planning curriculum, for predicting which students are on track to be ready for college, and as a source of data to help counselors, students and parents make appropriate course placement decisions. 

Although all math problems on the PreACT can be solved without a calculator, students wishing to use an ACT approved calculator should bring their own; WFHS will not provide calculators. (Please refer to the ACT Calculator Policy.) 

PSAT: 

WFHS will offer the PSAT/NMSQT in school on Thursday, October 15, 2024. The PSAT/NMSQT is an OPTIONAL standardized, multiple-choice test that includes three sections: a Reading Test, a Writing and Language Test, and a Math Test. The test provides practice for the SAT and offers insight for advising and counseling students. The PSAT/NMSQT administration fee for 11th grade students is 15.82 and the fee for 9th and 10th grade students is $17.32.  Registration opens September 1st and closes 11:59 pm on Monday September 8th.  Students need to use THIS LINK to register for the PSAT.  Please feel free to contact Mrs. Covington at  mcovington@wcpss.net  with any questions you may have regarding registering for the PSAT. Homeschooled students may register to take the test at Wake Forest High School.  The payment link will be sent via email once the student is registered and the registration window has closed.   

The PSAT allows 11th grade students the opportunity to potentially qualify for a National Merit scholarship if they receive a very high score (generally the top 1%).  WCPSS offers the test free of charge to juniors with a GPA of 4.4 or higher. Juniors who qualify were notified by email Friday, 8/29; the email includes directions on how they will register for their free PSAT. Fee waivers are available for students based on financial need; any student needing a fee waiver should check with their counselor.  Although students in any grade may register for the PSAT, only juniors are eligible for scholarships. 

Students who plan to take the PSAT should access this student guide. 

Note: The PSAT/NMSQT is an optional test; no student is required to take it.