The PSAT is a test to measure a student’s readiness for college. It isn’t used directly for college admissions, but it can be used to win important awards and scholarships. The PSAT also can help students to plan for the SAT, the test that is used for college admissions.
The PSAT is administered in October, and in 2023 schools can administer the test anytime between October 2 and October 31. Check with your school administration to find out which exact date the PSAT will be offered at your school.
Does the PSAT matter?
Check if you’re prepared for the PSAT with my handy PSAT prep checklist! Get the free pdf:
What is the PSAT?
The PSAT is a standardized test used to assess students’ readiness for college. There are several different versions of the test:
PSAT 8/9: designed for 8th and 9th graders, scored from 240–1440
PSAT 10: the full PSAT test, but administered to 10th graders in the spring, scored from 320–1520
PSAT/NMSQT: the full PSAT test administered to 10th graders and 11th graders in the fall (taken in 11th grade it counts for the National Merit Scholarship competition), scored from 320–1520
All versions of the PSAT are designed to lead up to the SAT, which is the test that students for applying to college. The SAT is scored from 400–1600, and most students take it their junior year or early in their senior year, before applying to college their senior fall.
If your school offers any the PSAT 8/9 or PSAT 10 tests, it’s a good idea to take them.
The PSAT tests can help students and families to know if they’re on track to be ready for college. They can help students to get a sense of what they might score on the SAT, and to plan appropriately.
Keep reading to find out of the junior year PSAT, also called the PSAT/NMSQT, matters!
Does the PSAT matter?
I’ll be honest here — for many students, the PSAT doesn’t really matter for college admissions.
Jump below: why the PSAT matters for top students [link]
That’s because PSAT scores are never submitted to colleges, so it won’t make a difference whether you score a 950 or a 1250 on the PSAT.
That said, I think it’s worth taking the PSAT relatively seriously. It’s a great opportunity to practice for the SAT in a setting that should perfectly simulate the SAT test day — the setup in the testing room, the test format, the time limits.
This test experience is even more valuable for the 2023 PSAT, because this year the SAT is changing significantly. Starting in March 2024, the SAT will be entirely digital and will have an entirely new test structure. The new digital SAT will also be adaptive, which means that the questions will get harder or easier depending on a student’s performance on the first part of the test. What’s more, some types of questions on the new digital SAT will be radically different.
With all of these big changes coming to the SAT, the PSAT in October 2023 is a great opportunity to try them out and get a feel for the new test.
That’s because the PSAT administered in October 2023 will be updated to match the new digital adaptive SAT.
So for invaluable practice and a simulation of the SAT experience, I absolutely recommend taking the PSAT!
Download my PSAT study checklist for a convenient list of everything you need to know for the test:
Using PSAT scores to predict SAT scores
The PSAT is designed to give students and families a prediction of how they might score on the SAT.
Typically a student’s SAT score is a little higher than their PSAT score. Use this table to predict your SAT score based on your PSAT score:
Converting PSAT scores to SAT scores
| PSAT score | Projected SAT score |
|---|---|
| 400 | 630 |
| 450 | 670 |
| 500 | 710 |
| 550 | 760 |
| 600 | 800 |
| 650 | 840 |
| 700 | 880 |
| 750 | 920 |
| 800 | 970 |
| 850 | 1010 |
| 900 | 1050 |
| 920 | 1070 |
| 940 | 1080 |
| 960 | 1100 |
| PSAT score | Projected SAT score |
|---|---|
| 980 | 1120 |
| 1000 | 1140 |
| 1020 | 1150 |
| 1040 | 1170 |
| 1060 | 1190 |
| 1080 | 1200 |
| 1100 | 1220 |
| 1120 | 1240 |
| 1140 | 1250 |
| 1160 | 1270 |
| 1180 | 1290 |
| 1200 | 1300 |
| 1220 | 1320 |
| 1240 | 1340 |
| PSAT score | Projected SAT score |
|---|---|
| 1260 | 1350 |
| 1280 | 1370 |
| 1300 | 1390 |
| 1320 | 1410 |
| 1340 | 1420 |
| 1360 | 1440 |
| 1380 | 1460 |
| 1400 | 1470 |
| 1420 | 1490 |
| 1440 | 1510 |
| 1460 | 1520 |
| 1480 | 1540 |
| 1500 | 1560 |
| 1520 | 1570 |
Wondering what your projected SAT score means? Check out these guides for different SAT scores, including a list of colleges where that score would make you a strong applicant:
Guide for 1100 SAT | 1200 SAT | 1300 SAT | 1400 SAT | 1500 SAT
Why the PSAT matters for top students
For the majority of students, it’s fine to treat the PSAT like a practice SAT.
But for top-scoring students, the PSAT can be a chance to win a big-name award and get significant scholarships!
That’s because the PSAT taken in the fall of a student’s junior year (the full name of the test is the PSAT/NMSQT) is also used for the National Merit Scholarships competition.
If students score in the top 3% in their state, they can win National Merit Commended status.
Students who score in the top 1% can be named a National Merit Semifinalist and go on to be a National Merit Finalist. About half of National Merit Finalists earn the title of National Merit Scholar and win scholarships directly from the competition.
Related post: learn what PSAT scores students need to qualify for National Merit
Many colleges and universities also award additional scholarships to National Merit students. Often these scholarships are not just for National Merit Scholars, but also for Finalists, Semifinalists, and Commended students.
At some colleges, National Merit students are even offered an automatic full-ride scholarship!
The National Merit awards are famous and can definitely help a student to stand out on college applications. Even for colleges that don’t offer merit scholarships (like the Ivy League schools), a National Merit award can boost a student’s chances of admission.
I was a National Merit Scholar and won a scholarship from the competition, and I’m sure that my National Merit award helped to strengthen my college applications. (I was admitted everywhere I applied, and ultimately chose to attend Princeton.)
How do you know if you have a real shot at scoring in the top 3% of students in your state and winning a National Merit award?
The best way to find out whether you have a shot at a top score is to simulate the PSAT experience with a full timed practice test. I often help my private test prep students to do this, but you can also access full practice tests online from the College Board.
The cutoff scores for National Merit vary from state to state, and the National Merit program has a slightly different way of using the test scores, but in general a practice PSAT score of 1350+ or a practice SAT score of 1400+ means that a student has a reasonable chance at making the cutoff for a National Merit award with some additional studying.
Think you have a shot at winning a National Merit award and want to make sure that you’re preparing the right way for the PSAT? I’m a National Merit Scholar myself, and each year I work one-on-one with a small number of ambitious students to prepare for the PSAT and aim for National Merit scholarships.
Reach out to me (Emily) at info@ivybloomacademics.com to learn more about one-on-one PSAT prep with a National Merit Scholar and Princeton grad with over a decade of experience in top-level test prep.
Other reasons why the PSAT might matter
In addition to the National Merit scholarship competition, there are a few other reasons why the PSAT might matter more than a great chance to practice and plan for the SAT.
PSAT scores for private high school admissions
PSAT scores might also be used for application to selective private high schools in the US. When students have a chance to choose between the ISEE, SSAT, and PSAT for prep school admission, I recommend selecting the PSAT.
That’s because the ISEE and SSAT are both only used for private high school admissions. They both have more limited practice materials available, and they can’t be used in the future for college admissions.
While the PSAT isn’t used directly for college admissions, it’s nearly identical to the SAT, which is used for applying to college.
That means that preparing for the PSAT for admission to a selective private high school can do double duty and also help a student to prepare for applying to college.
PSAT scores for selective summer programs and other academic opportunities
PSAT scores can also be used to apply for special summer programs ranging from college-level courses to publishable research. These summer programs can help ambitious students to pursue an interest more deeply, and they also can have a significant impact on college admissions chances.
Check out our list of academic summer opportunities for more details about amazing summer programs!
PSAT scores might also be used for entry into special academic programs during the school year, like dual-enrollment classes or other college classes.
Next steps
Hoping to make the most of your PSAT experience?
Aiming for a top score on the PSAT that will win you a National Merit award and even a full-ride scholarship to college?
Download my PSAT study checklist for a convenient list of everything you need to know for the test.
If you want help preparing for the PSAT, look for a tutor who has personal experience doing well on the test. Believe it or not, but many test-prep companies have giant tutor rosters full of “tutors” who got mediocre scores when they took the test themselves.
I’m a top-1% scorer on the PSAT, SAT, and ACT, and back when I was in high school I was a National Merit Scholar and scholarship recipient (one of only 2500 in the country).
I’m also a summa cum laude graduate of Princeton and a full-time educational consultant with over a decade of experience helping students to improve their test scores and navigate the college admissions process.
Want to work with me one-on-one for the PSAT or SAT? Sign up immediately here or email me at info@ivybloomacademics.com.
Happy studying!