News : Several VSHS students score at/above 95th percentile in PSAT

Two cousins were among seven VSHS students who scored very high on a recent PSAT test, helping to set a new school record.

In October, several sophomore and junior students from Vinton-Shellsburg High School took the PSAT (preliminary SAT) test. The test is given nationwide every year to over 3.5 million students from approximately 23,000 high schools. The test includes sections on critical reading, mathematics and problem solving, and writing skills. The questions and format of the test are very similar to the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) which is a standard college admissions test used throughout the country. Taking the PSAT also provides the Junior participants with an opportunity to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship, which they will continue to work for during their senior year.

This year, Vinton-Shellsburg had seven juniors who scored in the 90th percentile on the test, with five of the students scoring at or above the 95th percentile, and three students scoring above the 97th percentile.

"Since I have been here at VSHS, we have occasionally had students who scored at the 90th percentile or above, but we have never had seven in one year. Two of the students, cousins Jacob Isbell and Luke Moen, earned scores significantly higher than any I can recall. This is really a great group of young people with extraordinary potential," said Scott Tandy, VSHS guidance counselor.

Isbell had a composite score of 217, and was ranked in the 99th percentile. Moen had a composite 210 and was in the 98th percentille. The other three above the 95th percentile were Ashley McKenna, Ben Hyland, and Jacob Patrilla. The two others above the 90th percentile were Joel Hanover and Jacob Reisch.