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The PSAT Scoring Scale

The world's finest online PSAT preparation

An official PSAT/NMSQT score report contains seven parts.

The section score reflects students’ overall performance in the section. The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section score combines the Reading Test Score with the Writing and Language Test Score. The total score combines the section scores of Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (160-760) with the Math section score (160-760).

In addition to the two main scoring metrics (section score and total score), students also receive further performance analysis in the form of cross-test scores and subscores. Cross-test scores measure analysis in history/social studies and analysis in science, with a score range of 8-38. Subscores range from 1-15 and measure students’ abilities in the following areas: command of evidence, words in context, expression of ideas, standard English conventions, algebra, problem solving and data analysis, and preparation for advanced math. For National Merit qualification and other scholarships, the score report includes what is called the NMSC Selection Index. This index is calculated by doubling the sum of a student’s Reading, Writing and Language, and Math Test scores. 50,000 high scorers, measured by Selection Index, are notified each September of their qualification for National Merit Scholarship Program recognition.

Like the SAT, the PSAT measures a raw score which is calculated by the number of questions answered correctly. There is no penalty for guessing. That raw score is then converted to a scaled score (160-760) using a process called equating, which takes into account slight variations in difficulty between different test administrations and dates. The two scaled section scores are combined to create a student’s total score and to measure a student’s percentile ranking. The percentile ranking shows how a test-taker compares to the scores of test-takers nationwide. It represents the percentage of test-takers whose scores fell at or below the student’s score. The chart below shows percentile rankings for total scores among 10th and 11th graders. Percentiles were calculated by the College Board using the scores of students who took the PSAT/NMSQT in 2017.

Converted
Total Score 		10th Grade 11th Grade Converted
Total Score 		10th Grade 11th Grade
1520 99+ 99+ 920 50 34
1510 99+ 99+ 910 48 33
1500 99+ 99+ 900 47 31
1490 99+ 99+ 890 45 29
1480 99+ 99 880 43 28
1470 99+ 99 870 41 26
1460 99+ 99 860 39 25
1450 99+ 98 850 37 23
1440 99+ 98 840 35 22
1430 99 98 830 33 20
1420 99 97 820 31 19
1410 99 97 810 29 17
1400 99 96 800 27 16
1390 99 96 790 25 15
1380 99 95 780 23 13
1370 99 95 770 21 12
1360 98 94 760 19 11
1350 98 93 750 17 10
1340 98 93 740 15 8
1330 98 83 730 13 7
1320 97 92 720 12 6
1310 97 92 710 10 5
1300 97 91 700 8 5
1290 96 90 690 7 4
1280 96 89 680 6 3
1270 96 89 670 5 3
1260 95 88 660 4 2
1250 95 87 650 3 2
1240 94 86 640 3 2
1230 93 85 630 2 1
1220 93 84 620 2 1
1210 92 82 610 2 1
1200 91 81 600 1 1
1190 91 80 590 1 1
1180 90 79 580 1 1-
1170 89 77 570 1 1-
1160 88 76 560 1 1-
1150 87 74 550 1 1-
1140 86 73 540 1 1-
1130 85 71 530 1- 1-
1120 83 70 520 1- 1-
1110 82 68 510 1- 1-
1100 81 66 500 1- 1-
1090 79 65 490 1- 1-
1080 78 63 480 1- 1-
1070 77 61 470 1- 1-
1060 75 59 460 1- 1-
1050 73 57 450 1- 1-
1040 72 56 440 1- 1-
1030 70 54 430 1- 1-
1020 69 52 420 1- 1-
1010 67 50 410 1- 1-
1000 65 48 400 1- 1-
990 63 47 390 1- 1-
980 62 45 380 1- 1-
970 60 43 370 1- 1-
960 58 41 360 1- 1-
950 56 39 350 1- 1-
940 54 38 340 1- 1-
930 52 36 330 1- 1-
320 1- 1-

The last portion of the PSAT/NMSQT score report contains question-level feedback, which breaks down the test by individual questions and shows students which ones they missed. It also indicates which questions fall into which subscore and cross-test score category. This section also includes an access code where students can view answer explanations online.