The PSAT/NMSQT is a standardized test generally taken by students in October of their junior year in high school as a way to:

• gauge their preparedness for the SAT (measures knowledge and skills in reading, writing, and math)

• identify a student’s areas of academic strengths and inform the AP classes that student should take.

• select the 7,500 recipients of the National Merit Scholarship

The National Merit Scholarship is awarded to 0.5% of the total number of students taking the PSAT every year, shining a light on how exceptional these 7,500 scholars are. Not only are these scholars top PSAT scorers, they also meet stringent academic performance criteria set by the National Merit organization. Each winner receives a one time scholarship award of $2,500, a pittance relative to the overall costs of college, but the recognition and prestige it confers is invaluable to the recipient.

In evaluating an applicant’s academic performance, the highly selective colleges will take into account whether an applicant was shortlisted for the National Merit Scholarship, and if they won one of the 7,500 scholarships awarded annually.

PSAT/NMSQT Scores

The PSAT is administered by the College Board, and is taken by about 1.5 million students in 11th grade every year.

It is scored on a scale of 320 to 1520, and performance for each of the individual reading, writing and math sections is scored between 8 to 38.

Determining Eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship

The sum of the 3 individual section scores multiplied by 2 is used by the National Merit organization to determine eligibility. This eligibility score is known as the National Merit Selection Index Score.

For example, a student who scores 35 for the reading section, 35 for the writing section and 37 for the math section would have a score total of 107, and a National Merit Selection Index Score of 214.

Will this student be eligible to be shortlisted for the National Merit Scholarship?

The answer is: it depends on where the student lives and took the test.

Eligibility is determined by state, and it would depend on whether a score of 214 meets the cutoff score in the student’s home state. The cutoff varies, and will change every year depending on performance of the PSAT takers. Usually, the top 1% of scorers by Selection Index are eligible to compete for the scholarship.

Commended Students, Semifinalists and Finalists

In September of senior year, the National Merit organization informs 50,000 top scoring eligible students from all 50 states that they have qualified for National Merit Program Recognition.

Of these students, 34,000 of them will receive Letters of Commendation for outstanding academic promise. These are students who have met the Selection Index cutoff for their state, but their performance does not qualify them as Semifinalists in their state.

The remaining 16,000 students are named semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship.

To advance as finalists, these students are required to demonstrate

• a high level of academic performance through their years in high school and

• they must take the ACT or SAT and achieve scores that confirm their PSAT performance.

In February of senior year, the 15,000 who make it as finalists are informed of their progression to the finals and issued a Certificate of Merit.

The 7,500 scholarship winners are chosen from amongst the finalists based on

• their academic record,

• information about the school's curriculum and grading system,

• PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index score,

• the high school official's written recommendation,

• information about the student's activities and leadership, and

• the Finalist's own essay.

The evaluation criteria used to select the finalists are remarkably similar to the criteria the highly selective colleges use to evaluate their applicants. Performance as a finalist is almost like a prelude for college admissions.

Scholarship Awards

The winners of the National Merit Scholarship receive a one time scholarship award of $2,500 and gain a huge amount of recognition and prestige for outstanding academic performance.

The commended students and all those who are not finalists remain eligible for Special Scholarships sponsored by corporations and individuals.

Finalists remain eligible for corporate sponsored scholarships as well as college sponsored scholarships.

Highly Selective Colleges take National Merit Scholarship Recognition into account

The rigor involved in the process of selecting the National Merit Scholars means that the colleges will evaluate an applicant’s progression through the stages of the scholarship selection process and give weight accordingly to it.

A student who becomes a semifinalist or finalist represent the top 1% of all PSAT test takers in the country, demonstrating a high level of academic excellence.

Should you prepare hard for the test?

Whether or not you make it into the 50,000 top scorers included in the Recognition Program, the PSAT is a terrific trial run for the SAT, and you should take the opportunity to see where you stand with good preparation.

Remember that the highly selective colleges will evaluate the SAT/ACT scores that you submit and weight them accordingly. The better you perform, the better your evaluation which means you should seize every opportunity to test and benchmark yourself.

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