The PSAT/NMSQT – SAT Suite (2024)

FAQs

Is PSAT NMSQT easier than SAT? ›

The PSAT is slightly less challenging than the SAT because it is designed to be a practice test. As a precursor exam, the PSAT will introduce students to the subject matter and test structure of the SAT. The PSAT is a shorter test as well, with fewer questions. The SAT is 15 minutes longer.

Older versions of the PSAT had a wrong-answer penalty so that students who guessed on questions would not have an advantage over students who left questions blank. This penalty has been removed; make sure you never leave a PSAT question blank!

The average PSAT/NMSQT score is about 920. A score between 1210 and 1520 puts you in the top 10% of test takers. The PSAT/NMSQT and the SAT are very similar tests, so your score on the PSAT/NMSQT can give you an idea of how you'll do when you take the SAT.

Since it is considered to be a Preliminary SAT, your score on the PSAT is meant to be a solid predictor of how well you would do on the SAT if you took it on the same day. But there are a couple of caveats. The maximum score on the PSAT is 1520, whereas the top score on the SAT is 1600.

Colleges Don't Receive Scores

College Board does not send PSAT/NMSQT scores to colleges. These scores are not intended to be part of college admission decisions.

A strong PSAT score is likely to portend an equally strong (or stronger) SAT score. High SAT scores can, in turn, help you get scholarships and grants for college. Studying for these standardized tests is one of the few ways that students can positively affect their financial aid packages.

There is no most common answer on the SAT.

Getting a PSAT score lower than you wanted can be disappointing, but, fortunately, a low PSAT score won't impact your college applications, and there are methods you can follow to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.

These scores will not be reported to colleges, so they will not negatively impact your admissions processes. The only downside – if you get a low score in your junior year specifically – is that you will not be considered for scholarships like National Merit, which use the PSAT scores as qualifying metrics.

While the data is preliminary, you may be interested to know that a 99th percentile score in Reading and Writing is 700 while the same percentile score in Math is a 740. These scores are good benchmarks to see where you need to be to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship.

Is 1000 a bad PSAT score? ›

A combined score of 1000 is approximately the national average, which represents the 50th percentile (students who score 1000 score right in the middle, with 50% of the people scoring higher and 50% of the students scoring lower).

As you probably noticed, the score ranges for the 99th percentiles for Reading and Writing and for Math are not the same. For R&W, a score as low as 730 guarantees you a spot in the 99th percentile. For Math, on the other hand, you must score at least 750—a near-perfect score!

Because the test is meant to cover an additional school year of material, the SAT is a bit harder than the PSAT, particularly in the math section. The math section on the SAT includes more material that students would encounter in trigonometry or precalculus.

A 1200 is an above average score that places you in approximately the 74th percentile of all high school students taking the exam. A score of 1200 makes it possible to apply to the vast majority of schools throughout the nation and be competitive for admission at a sizable number of colleges.

An 1100 SAT score is about average, as the national median score hovers around 1050-1060. However, whether it's "good" or "bad" really depends on the colleges you're targeting. If you're aiming for more competitive schools, then you should definitely consider retaking the SAT to boost your score.

The PSAT 8/9 is lowered by 80 points, resulting in a total score of 240 to 1440, or 120 to 720 for each component. It has been reduced to compensate for the fact that it is a significantly simpler test than the PSAT/NMSQT.

Differences Between the PSAT and SAT

The PSAT is scored on a total scale of 320-1520, with math and verbal scores of 160-760 each. The SAT is scored on a total scale of 400-1600, with math and verbal scores of 200-800 each.

The digital SAT will continue to be scored on a 1600-point scale. However, PSAT scores (as they have in the past) max out at 1520 because the PSAT serves as a simplified, preparatory version of the SAT, featuring slightly easier passages and less trigonometry and complex math.

Selection Index cutoffs compare the scores of test takers in each state. You'll probably get national percentiles on your PSAT score report, but state percentiles are the ones NMSC uses to award students. The average of all the PSAT NMSQT qualifying scores is 215.