Thirty-one seventh-grade students from TCMS were recently selected to take the PSAT on October 17, 2019, an increase in the number of eligible students from last year by 19%. All students chosen to take the assessment scored at or above the 95th percentile on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) taken during their sixth-grade school year. The students are also eligible to take the ACT and/or the SAT as well as to have the opportunity to participate in the Duke TIP Program. Duke TIP is offered as a club at TCMS and is sponsored by Retha Lee and Kendra Reeves, seventh-grade MERIT teachers.

As a participant of the club, students investigate colleges that they are interested in, including the cost of tuition and degrees offered at each. "Many students are surprised to learn that the college that they would like to attend may not offer the degree that they want to pursue," stated Lee.

As a participant in the club, students also prepare for national tests such as the PSAT, SAT, and ACT by being guided through sample test questions and by showing students online resources for further practice. This program offers benefits that last throughout high school for these students