Knightly News

With many college admissions decisions, scholarships and National Merit status depending on college entrance exams, it can be overwhelming for some as they prepare for their opportunity to test. Episcopal College Counseling Director Justin Fenske offers tips to make test preparation more manageable.

1. Start with the foundation.
Fenske says it is important for students to remember that even though test prep is important, everything starts with a solid academic foundation. This foundation is what Episcopal students are learning every day in class. “Doing well and working hard in classroom subjects is key to testing success,” says Fenske. “Ultimately these exams are seeking to determine whether subject information has been gained and whether the student is ready for college-level course work.” Students who want to score well on admissions tests must commit themselves to doing well on day-to-day classroom activities. This means maintaining a strong GPA and fully understanding classroom concepts.

2. Understand the test.
Once a student has acquired a solid foundation in academic subjects, test preparation can truly begin. Episcopal students have a range of resources available to help them in this area, including three dedicated college counselors. Fenske, Dr. Alan Newton and Julia Spaht work one-on-one with students throughout the college admissions journey. Counselors provide guidance on everything from Episcopal class schedules and college admissions essays to getting the most from a college visit and meeting the application deadlines. Counselors can advise students regarding what score they need to qualify for admission into the college of their choice and they are there to motivate students and keep them on track to achieve that score.

College prep truly is a team effort at Episcopal. In addition to the counseling team, Dr. Alan Newton serves as the school’s College Block Coordinator. In College Block students brush up on the foundational skills that they have learned in class. College Block is also where students begin to think in terms of how to take the test. For example, as they are reviewing writing tips they will practice marking up a paragraph the way they would be required to do for the ACT.  Students also take timed practice tests, watch test prep videos and work on ACT lessons.

Once the learning, practice and preparation are complete, it is time for testing. Fenske says the general recommendation is that a student take the test three times. “Our goal is for students to have a score they feel good about by the end of their junior year,” he says. As far as which test to take, Fenske says the subjects covered by the ACT and SAT are the same and the test prep should be as well. 

Results
Episcopal’s approach to test prep is getting results. All Episcopal juniors take the PSAT, which determines National Merit recognition. The Class of 2021 had 12 National Merit Finalists and three Commended Scholars, representing approximately 15% of the overall class. National Merit Finalists are students who rank among the top half of the top one percent of the qualifying test scores in their state.

National Merit Finalists: Abhay Basireddy, Matthew Bickham, Gregory Field, Elaine Gboloo, Joseph Ismail, Evan Jurkovic, Alex Nelson, Marshall Pentes, Connor Porthouse, Bethany Reid, Charles Roth and Katherine Scarton.

Commended Scholars: Allison Binning, Andrea Norwood and Robert Xing.

Meet the Episcopal College Counseling Team

Justin Fenske
Director of College Counseling

Dr. Alan Newton
College Counselor

Julia Spaht
Assistant/Associate Director of College Counseling

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2025-2026 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.