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The PSAT/NMSQT, or "Preliminary-SAT"/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, is a multiple choice standardized test generally taken by juniors and some sophomores in U.S. high schools. The test is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) for the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).
The test is composed of three sections: mathematical, verbal, and writing. Each section is worth eighty points, which add up to a maximum composite score of 240 points. Because the PSAT and SAT are very similar in content, the scores one achieves on the math and verbal sections of the PSAT roughly predict the scores that one would receive on the respective sections of the SAT; the predicted SAT score is centered about 10 times the PSAT score on the section. Starting on the October 204 administration, the PSAT will be overhauled to match the format of the new SAT.
Each year about 1.3 million U.S. high school students take this test, usually in the month of October. High scorers among juniors only on this test are recognized in two main categories based on their scores.
Commended Students are the first category. This group comprise about 35,000 of the top 50,000 students.
The highest scorers are designated National Merit-Semifinalists. This group numbers around 15,000. Designations are made on the basis of equitable state representation. Therefore, each state has different cutoff scores.
With the exception of about 1000 students, all Semifinalists advance to Finalist standings based on external (non PSAT score based) qualifications (which in the past have included items like explicit application for finalist designation, principal recommendation, etc.).
Finalists are eligible to receive National Merit Scholarship awards. This group consists of approximately 6,000 students.
In a small number of cases, students who are offered National Merit Scholarships will be unable to accept them due to acceptance at a university or college outside the United States. If this is the case the student is not given a scholarship (as the scholarship money is meant only for use in the United States) but is instead designated an Honorary Merit Scholar (acknowledging achievement without any financial assistance).
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