The PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) is a College Board test, usually taken in 10th or 11th grade, that previews the SAT and serves as the entry screen for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Scores
The College Board’s score guide lists a total score range of 320 to 1520, made of two sections (Reading and Writing, and Math) scored 160 to 760 each. The scale sits a little below the SAT’s 400 to 1600 because the test is designed for students earlier in high school.
The Selection Index
National Merit doesn’t use your total score. It uses a Selection Index:
Selection Index = (2 × Reading and Writing + Math) ÷ 10
The range is 48 to 228. Reading and Writing counts twice.
Example. Reading and Writing 680, Math 650:
(2 × 680 + 650) ÷ 10 = (1360 + 650) ÷ 10 = 201
Two students with the same 1330 total can have different indexes. Swap the scores (650 RW, 680 Math) and the index falls to 198.
The PSAT score calculator estimates section scores from a practice test and computes the index for you.
Why junior year matters
Only the junior-year PSAT/NMSQT counts for National Merit (with narrow exceptions for students on an unusual schedule). Taking it in 10th grade is good practice, but it won’t qualify you. What happens next is covered under National Merit Scholarship. After the PSAT, most students move on to the SAT; the SAT score calculator uses the same section structure, and our guide to AI for test prep covers practice methods that stay honest.
Related: SAT · percentile rank