Every fall, high school juniors across the country take the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). While it’s often considered to be “practice” for the SAT, it also serves another purpose: it’s the first step in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
If you’ve heard of National Merit before but aren’t quite sure how it works (or how much effort or time it actually involves) you’re not alone. The process can be a little confusing, and the benefits vary widely depending on a student’s goals and the colleges they’re considering.
Here’s what families need to know about how the National Merit Scholarship Program works from start to finish.
How the Program Works
About 1.3 million juniors take the PSAT/NMSQT each year, and approximately 50,000 students earn recognition based on their scores. Do all 50,000 receive a scholarship? Not exactly.
From there, the field narrows through several stages:
Commended Students
Semifinalists
Finalists
National Merit Scholars
At its core, National Merit is a recognition program, and there’s no separate test or fee beyond taking the PSAT to be recognized. But for students who continue through the later stages, it can become a more substantial process involving essays, recommendation letters, and documentation.
Who Qualifies?
Eligibility is based primarily on the PSAT/NMSQT score taken during a student’s junior year of high school. Sophomore scores (the PSAT10) don’t count. To participate, students must also:
Be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents
Be enrolled full-time in high school in the U.S. or a U.S. territory
Plan to enroll in college full-time after graduation
That’s it! There’s no application at the start. Taking the PSAT/NMSQT as a junior automatically enters a student for National Merit consideration.
The Selection Index Equation
Now, time for some slightly confusing math.
National Merit recognition isn’t based on a student’s total PSAT score but on a special calculation called the Selection Index (SI). Here’s how it works:
Add together the three PSAT section scores: Reading, Writing and Language, and Math. Each section is scored from 8 to 38.
Multiply that sum by two.
For example, if a student earns 34 in Reading, 35 in Writing, and 36 in Math:
(34 + 35 + 36) × 2 = 210 Selection Index
Each state has its own cutoff score to qualify as a Semifinalist, which typically ranges from the mid-210s to mid-220s. These cutoffs change slightly each year depending on how students in that state perform overall. A Selection Index that qualifies in one state may not in another.
Commended Students
Of the 1.3 million test-takers, about 34,000 students earn Commended Student status. Their scores place them roughly in the top 3-4% nationally. Commended Students receive a formal letter of recognition (which can be added to a resume or the Honors section of the Common Application), but they do not continue in the scholarship competi