by Apurva Mahajan ’22

Minutes after the PSAT was finished being administered to high school students nationwide on October 16, test takers turned to Twitter and other social media to post memes about the exam. The PSAT requests students to not share information about the test to others, as it could lead to leaked content for those who haven’t taken it yet. Even with their warning, #psatmemes is trending every year on Twitter, allowing millions of stressed students to alleviate the pressure of standardized testing, even if only a little bit. College Board even turned to Twitter itself, posting corporate memes as a last-ditch effort to appeal to highschoolers, warning them of the cancellation of their scores.

College Board should allow the test takers to vent on social media, as the content won’t make any sense out of context, and by the time students on the East Coast are able to use their phones again, students in the other time zones will be in the middle of taking the test, and will have no way to gain access to information. Some even say that their scores can’t be cancelled, as the confidentiality statements they sign as minors are not binding. Standardized testing is stressful, and students need a way to turn tests that may determine their future into something lighthearted afterwards.