Exam scores · PSAT/NMSQT
PSAT Score & National Merit Calculator
Enter your PSAT/NMSQT section scores to get your total and National Merit Selection Index — then compare it against your state’s most recent Semifinalist cutoff.
National Merit Selection Index
— / 228
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PSAT total (320–1520)
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state cutoff (Class of 2026)
210
Commended (Class of 2026)
| State | Cutoff | State | Cutoff |
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Frequently asked questions
How is the National Merit Selection Index calculated?
SI = (2 × Reading & Writing + Math) ÷ 10, using your PSAT/NMSQT section scores (160–760 each). The verbal score is double-weighted, and the index ranges from 48 to 228. It also appears on your College Board score report.
What Selection Index do I need for National Merit Semifinalist?
It depends on your state: Class of 2026 cutoffs ranged from 210 (Wyoming, West Virginia, North Dakota, New Mexico) to 225 (New Jersey, Massachusetts, DC). Pick your state above to compare. Cutoffs are set fresh each year and are never announced in advance.
What is the Commended Student cutoff?
A single nationwide number — 210 for the Class of 2026. Commended Students (top ~3–4%) receive recognition but do not continue in the scholarship competition unless they also meet their state Semifinalist cutoff.
How many students become National Merit Semifinalists?
More than 16,000 of over 1.3 million juniors who enter — NMSC describes it as less than one percent of US high school seniors, allocated to states in proportion to their share of graduating seniors.
Does the PSAT count for college admissions?
No — colleges never see PSAT scores. Its stakes are National Merit eligibility (junior-year PSAT/NMSQT only) and practice for the SAT, whose adaptive format it shares.
Why is the PSAT maximum 1520, not 1600?
PSAT sections top out at 760 instead of 800 because the test is slightly easier — the scale is designed so a PSAT score predicts what you would score on the SAT that day, and the hardest SAT material simply does not appear.
Formula: Selection Index = (2 × RW + Math) ÷ 10 — official NMSC computation. State Semifinalist cutoffs are Class of 2026 actuals (October 2024 PSAT) as tracked by Compass Prep; NMSC does not publish cutoffs, and they change every year. Historical reference only — not a guarantee.