Keller Yde scored in the top one-half of one percent in the state for the PSAT/NMSQT test, winning a $2,500 scholarship.

The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is an optional test offered to sophomores and juniors. Juniors scoring in the top one-half percent are entered in a scholarship competition for an opportunity to achieve finalist status based on academic skills, extracurricular accomplishments and an essay.

Yde encourages all students to prepare and take the PSAT. He spent 16 days prepping for reading, math and writing portions.

“If you do well on the test, it helps you so much your senior year when you’re applying to colleges,” Yde said. “I was really lucky to have Mrs. Johnson help me prepare for it. The biggest step is actually deciding to prepare for it.”

Yde plans to major in International Relations and attend a Liberal Arts public university.

“It’s a great opportunity and it’s not covered enough. Not enough students know how important the PSAT can be if you do well so you should take it.”