Anxiously sitting at the edge of their seats, juniors awaited to begin the PSAT. While students hurriedly punched numbers into their large graphing calculators, one testing room was permitted only the use of a four-function counterpart.

“When it comes to any type of testing, we have to follow specific protocol,” Assistant Principal for Curriculum Jackie Ingratta said. “But our teachers are used to the FCAT, so they’re used to those standards, and it’s easy to get confused. So I wouldn’t fault anybody on this.”

Students not given access to a graphing calculator were given two choices:  If they feel that they were put at a disadvantage, they could choose to use a predetermined SAT testing and its scores for the National Merit competition or they could choose to simply use their PSAT scores.

Ingratta said she doesn’t believe the error will make a big impact on the students.

“If we were going to make some kind of mistake, this would be the one to make. It doesn’t put these students at an advantage or disadvantage. “

Junior Abby Kawa said she thinks the students’ reactions of not being able to use a graphing calculator were extreme.

“I don’t think it was a very big deal because the four function calculator worked for all of the problems on the math portions,” she said. “This whole ordeal is a little over exaggerated. I’m just going to use my PSAT scores because I didn’t think a graphing calculator was even necessary.”

Junior Hannah Krasny says she plans to take a different course of action.

“I didn’t really think it was a big deal, but I’m going to use my SAT scores anyway.”

By Paula Kostro