What's up with the PSAT?
What is the PSAT, really? And why is it so confusing?
There are two different ways to think about the PSAT, and the confusion usually happens when they get blurred together. One way is to view the PSAT as part of a suite of College Board assessments designed to help students prepare for college (not just the SAT). The other is to view the PSAT as the gateway to the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Perspective 1: The PSAT as a Readiness Benchmark
This way to think about the PSAT is how most students will end up using it, as a checkpoint on the road to the SAT.
The Score Scale Perspective
College Board uses a consistent score scale structure across the entire SAT Suite of Assessments. Each test reports section scores on the same vertical scale, but each test also has its own ceiling, which aligns to grade-level expectations.
Ranges for Total Scores
SAT: 400–1600
PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10: 320–1520
PSAT 8/9: 240–1440
Ranges for Section Scores (Reading and Writing, Math)
SAT: 200–800
PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10: 160–760
PSAT 8/9: 120–720
There is a lot of misinformation out there. Some of it is left over from before the SAT went digital. Some of it is just due to misunderstanding. I am going to try to clear some of this up.
PSAT/SAT Breakdown
The key idea is that a score of, say, 500 in Reading and Writing means the same thing in terms of skill level whether it's from the PSAT 8/9 or the SAT. Essentially, if a student achieves a 500 on the PSAT 8/9, that student is likely to get a 500 on the SAT. It establishes a snapshot of current ability, but leaves room for growth to be demonstrated later.
That 80-point step between each test reflects College Board’s estimate of what a few more months (or years) of high school instruction are worth in terms of score improvement, in theory.
The Benchmark range is meant to predict whether a student is on track to be able to earn a C in a respective college course.
Of course, if a student is earning a perfect or near perfect score on a PSAT test, that doesn't really help predict the SAT score. I tell my clients to consider their children as "off the charts" (in this perspective... I promise the NMSQT perspective is coming!).
For more detail, College Board provides a full breakdown in their educator guide Understanding Scores.
If you are not intending to try for National Merit, you can use the Bluebook practice tests in your SAT test prep journey. To learn how to best prepare for the SAT, check out my article on 5 SAT Mistakes.
Perspective 2: The PSAT as National Merit Qualifying Test
Now let’s look at the PSAT through the National Merit lens. This part only applies to students who take the PSAT/NMSQT in 11th grade — the “NMSQT” literally stands for “National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.” That’s the only PSAT test that counts for the scholarship program.
To be eligible for National Merit, students must:
Take the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall of their 11th-grade year
Be enrolled in high school with plans to graduate and enter college full-time after high school
Meet citizenship requirements set by NMSC
Each year, National Merit uses a Selection Index (not the regular total score) to determine semifinalists. This index is calculated by adding the Reading and Writing section score and the Math section score, then doubling the result from just the Reading and Writing section.
Here’s the formula:
(Reading and Writing score × 2 + Math score) ÷ 10 = Selection Index
So a student with a 700 in Reading and Writing and a 700 in Math would get:
(700 × 2 + 700) ÷ 10 = 210
Cutoffs vary by state and change each year, but they generally fall in the 208–223 range. That means even students with “perfect-looking” scores might not qualify depending on how their state performs.
(Source: National Merit Selection Index Explanation)
What if a student can't take the PSAT
If a student is unable to take the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall of their junior year due to an unavoidable conflict — such as illness, a school-related event, they attend a school that didn't offer it or are homeschooled, or a testing accommodation issue — they may still be able to participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Students (or their school counselor) must contact NMSC after the missed test date to request alternate entry. This must be done after the October PSAT test date and before April 1st for that testing cycle. If NMSC approves the request, the student will be allowed to submit an official SAT score instead. Importantly, the ACT is not accepted as a substitute.
I called NMSC directly and asked if having a higher SAT score than PSAT score counts as a valid reason for alternate entry. The answer: no. If the PSAT was available at the student's high school, NMSC expects them to take it unless they have a documented, valid reason.
How Students Qualify as Semifinalists
The road to qualifying as a Semifinalist is, in my opinion, a bit convoluted. Students are filtered through multiple designations: high scorers, Commended Students, Semifinalists, and eventually Finalists.
Where PSAT and SAT tutors typically get involved is when a student is aiming to reach Semifinalist status. To qualify, a student needs to earn one of the roughly 16,000 Semifinalist spots. These are distributed among states based on the size of each state's graduating class. Within each state, students are then ranked by Selection Index, and the top scorers fill the available slots.
There’s a common misconception that it’s easier to earn Semifinalist status in states with lower cutoff scores. But since those states also tend to have fewer allotted spots, that’s not necessarily true. When I’m preparing a student for National Merit (and my students come from all over the country), I don’t try to game the system based on state cutoffs. I have them focus on giving their best effort. Instead of asking, “How many can I miss?” we’re working on getting as many questions right as possible.
How I Prepare My National Merit Students
If your student is a National Merit aspirant, the best time to begin preparing is the summer before junior year. National Merit aspirants should seek out prep programs designed with that timeline and goal in mind. Most SAT programs focus on timing strategies, guessing techniques, or clever test-taking tricks. These can be helpful—but they’re not enough to earn a top 1% score. Deep conceptual understanding and high-level skill are essential to get the hardest questions right.
The NMSQT is not easier than the SAT. The most difficult PSAT questions are just as challenging as the toughest SAT ones, and both tests can be used to prepare for the other.
I prepare my National Merit students the same way I prepare my SAT students aiming for a 1500+ (finishing the test on time, achieving conceptual mastery, and more), but I also incorporate additional layers. For example, my PSAT students this summer are:
Taking turns teaching each other, as if they were the tutor
Writing their own extremely difficult SAT-style questions
Working on projects like proving the quadratic formula and diagramming literature
Final Thoughts
If you’ve read this far, congratulations! That alone puts you in rare company. Preparing for the PSAT with an eye toward National Merit or a high SAT score is no small feat, and it shows real initiative. Whether you're a student or a parent supporting one, your ambition is already a powerful asset.
Wishing you clarity, confidence, and steady progress ahead.
