High school sophomores and juniors: pencil in Oct. 15 on your calendar for a free chance to improve your college admittance chances.

In an attempt to boost student success on the SAT, Indiana will foot the bill for all 10th- and 11th-graders to take the SAT's preparatory test.

The state announced Thursday it will cover the cost of PSAT (Preliminary SAT) college preparation exams for all eligible students this year.

The aim of the $1.8 million move is to boost scores on the SAT.

According to the Indiana Department of Education, taking the PSAT can significantly improve a student's score on the SAT. During the past school year, Indiana students who took both the PSAT and the SAT scored 250 points higher on average than those students who did not.

Last year, 47 percent of Indiana sophomores and juniors took the PSAT. The goal is for 100 percent of those students to take the test this year, DOE spokesman Avon Waters said.

Savings in the current budget on vendor negotiations for other student assessment tools will cover the cost of the PSAT, Waters said.

Bruce Bush, principal of Thomas Edison Jr.-Sr. High School in Lake Station, praised the move.

"Even though the price of the test is within reason, for many of our students, the price is beyond their grasp," Bush said. "Last year, only 40 students took the test. This year, it has more than doubled. We have 90 students who signed up to take the test."

Diana Whitman, director of counseling at Chesterton High School, said a good portion of sophomores there already take the PSAT and the fee has not been a barrier. More juniors take the test than sophomores because it also serves as the qualifying test for National Merit Scholarship consideration that year, she said.

In addition to higher SAT scores, the PSAT testing can help schools identify students who would be best served by taking Advanced Placement courses. AP courses allow students to earn college credit in high school.

PSAT testing will take place at locations across the state Oct. 15. The registration deadline is Sept. 24. Details are at collegeboard.com/psat.

Times Staff Writer Carmen McCollum contributed to this report.