It is the day some of the students anticipate for months. Every year, countless prep classes, private tutors and hours of studying have been put into the chance to score well on the PSAT. Last October, senior John Shepard completely forgot about the PSAT and that he was taking it. And although he did not prepare before he took the test, he was recently recognized as a National Merit Commended Student this year for his high exam scores.
“I remember hearing about it,” Shepard said. “And then I remember forgetting about it. And I remember walking in and taking it that day. It’s nice to be able to wing it and do well.”
In his first attempt at taking the test, Shepard scored in the top 50,000 scorers of the exam, qualifying for the recognition. He regrets forgetting about the test and not scoring higher, and he feels that his recognition is hardly something to be proud of.
“It was mainly awkward because I don’t like bragging about how well I do,” Shepard said. “I wish I’d done better. I was on the low end of the scorers. I feel like if I had known about it, I might have done a lot better.”
Shepard credits his high scores to how easily he can learn and make connections between information.
“A lot of the times, I don’t actually try and memorize the way [teachers] teach,” Shepard said. “They show you the problem and they show you step by step how they do it. I learn it their way and answer and in my mind, I’ll find a better way.”
Physics teacher Steven Lambert considers Shepard an exceptional student in his AP class.
“He’s brilliant,” Lambert said. “I’ve had him for two years. And he doesn’t have to put a lot of effort in. I don’t think he’s got the best study habits, but then he’s just really smart so he overcomes a lot of that. He gets things done in my class. I think he’s got a really great future.”
With his PSAT scores, Shepard got accepted into the University of Advancing Technology in Arizona (UAT), where he plans to pursue a career in video game programming. Currently, he is in the process of applying for scholarships.
“My plan, up until about a week ago, was to go to UAT,” Shepard said. “But I started thinking about it and I’m also applying to Massachusetts Institute of Technology. And I said if I make MIT, I’m going to go and become a theoretical physicist. I’ll work there and do something helpful. Otherwise, I’m going to go back to my gaming thing.”
Shepard plans to take his SAT and ACT this month in order to apply for MIT, a top ranking school in mathematics, science and technology programs, according to the website for US News & World Report. His plan to prepare for the exams is simply not to stress out over them.
“I find that I learn a lot better if I don’t take anything too seriously,” Shepard said. “No one learns well under pressure. So whenever I feel comfortable enough to study, I do. Whenever I feel comfortable enough to do homework, I do. Otherwise, it’s just a waste of time.”