PSAT to SAT Score Conversion: Predict Your Score - Scholarships360 (2023)

FAQs

What does my PSAT score translate to SAT? ›

The maximum score on the PSAT is 1520, whereas the top score on the SAT is 1600. So, a score of 1100 on the PSAT, for example, is a good indicator that you would score 1100 on the SAT if you took it on the same day.

To state the obvious, some of the 50 U.S. states are obviously far more competitive than others—and colleges will keep this in mind during the admission process. The main qualification for National Merit is a high PSAT score (out of 1520). Thus, a high SAT score (out of 1600) will in most cases serve the same purpose.

If your ultimate goal is to attend an elite university, then you should know that a good PSAT score for Ivy League admission is to be in the 99^th percentile or higher. In other words, if your main priority is getting into the Ivy League, you should aim for a composite PSAT score anywhere between 1280 and 1520.

The data above tells us that the top 1% of test takers—about 16,000 juniors—scored between 1460 and 1520. Contrary to what many believe, you do not need a perfect PSAT score to get into the 99th percentile. In fact, you can miss up to 60 points and still get in the top 1%!

Practically speaking, this means that anyone who qualifies as a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist (PSAT scores of 1400/1520 and up, depending on the state of residence) should be able to easily achieve a confirming score (SAT scores as low as 1320/1600, and ACT scores as low as 26/36), especially given multiple ...

The PSAT won't count towards your college admissions applications, but it is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship . Some of the highest scoring students may win scholarship money, so while you shouldn't stress out about the PSAT, you certainly shouldn't ignore it either.

Using 2021 statistics from the CollegeBoard, we've listed total score ranges/cutoffs for the top percentiles. For 10th grade students taking the test (either the PSAT 10 or the PSAT/NMSQT): 99th percentile and above (“outstanding”): 1370–1520. 90th percentile (“great”): 1170.

According to the College Board, the average PSAT score is about 920, while a score between 1210 and 1520 lands you in the top 10% of test takers. This converts to a predicted SAT score between 1310 and 1570.

Excellent PSAT Score

On the PSAT this would be between a 1460+ as a junior or 1430+ as a sophomore. The upper range of this score band is enough to complete a strong application to top 10 or top 20 schools, with admission rates below 20%. Still, these top colleges are extremely competitive.

What is the minimum PSAT score for National Merit Scholarship? ›

To be competitive for National Merit Semifinalist status, students need to score about 1400 on the PSAT in less competitive states like Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota . . . or about 1470 on the PSAT in more competitive states like Connecticut or New Jersey.

The average PSAT score is around 920 (460 in Math and 460 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing), while an outstanding PSAT score (one that will qualify you as a National Merit Scholarship semi-finalist) is between 1420 and 1480.

In order to be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Program, a student must: 1) take the PSAT/NMSQT during his or her 3rd year (junior year) of high school 2) be enrolled as a high school student (traditional or homeschooled) and plan to enroll in college full time by the fall after his or her high school ...

Like freshman and sophomore year, a good PSAT score junior year can be defined as a score at or above the 75th percentile. For high school juniors, based on data from test takers during the 2020-2021 school year, a “good” score in the 75th percentile is a 1150.

Students who plan to spend five years in grades 9 through 12 before entering college full time can participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program if they take the PSAT/NMSQT in the third year of high school and again in the fourth year.

PSAT Averages

This would put you squarely in the 50th percentile of scoring. But those averages can change depending on the college you're hoping to apply to. For example, the average PSAT score by Harvard admitted students was between 1420 and 1520 (or 210-238 on the old scale).

Harvard will not care about your PSAT score, since the only standardized tests used in the admissions process are the SAT and ACT.

You can and should take the PSAT in your sophomore year. This test can give you an idea of how the SAT works. Harvard also uses PSAT scores to identify promising students from across the U.S. to invite to apply.

To determine who qualifies for National Merit, NMSC uses a scale called the Selection Index. To get this, NMSC adds your Math, Reading, and Writing section scores, which each fall between 8 and 38, and then multiplies that sum by 2. Thus, the PSAT NMSC Selection Index ranges from 48 to 228.

Do colleges look at PSAT? ›

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

The PSAT is scored between 320 and 1520, while the SAT is scored from 400 to 1600. PSAT scores correspond directly to SAT scores, so a 1250 on the PSAT equals a 1250 on the SAT. But because the SAT is more challenging, a perfect score on the PSAT does not equal a perfect score on the SAT.

To calculate your Selection Index, add together your test scores for Math, Reading, and Writing, and then double the sum.

In 2022, a PSAT score of 1500-1520 would be considered an exceptionally strong score for any student. This score should place a student in the 1st percentile of all test takers, meaning that students scoring in this range have performed better than 99% of students who take this test.

That means a good PSAT score for students aiming at “Ivy Plus” schools like Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, and Duke would be at least 1450.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is only open to high school juniors. So even if you score well on the PSAT as a sophomore, you will not be eligible for the program. Nevertheless, taking the test your sophomore year can provide you with useful practice for the following year.

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.

Excellent PSAT Scores: 1170-1350

10th-grade students who scored between 1170 and 1350 on the PSAT test fall within the top 10% of all test takers.

The average PSAT 10 score is around 920. A score between 1210 and 1520 places you in the top 10% of test takers.

What percentile is 11th grade PSAT? ›

Based on 2021 PST data, the average PSAT score for an 11th grader, or the 50th percentile score, is 1000-1010. The average section scores are 510-520 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 490 for Math. Below is a percentile to score chart for high school sophomores taking the PSAT.

Maintaining PSAT and SAT Percentiles

If you wanted to stay in the 97th percentile, you would have to achieve a higher score than you did the first time around on subsequent tests — a minimum of 1400 on your junior-year PSAT and 1450 on your SAT.

At the most competitive Ivy League schools (Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale) the bottom 25% of accepted students score below about 1470-1490 on the SAT. At the other Ivy League schools (Brown, Cornell, Penn, and Dartmouth) the bottom 25% of accepted students score below about 1400-1430.

A good PSAT score is a composite score of 1070 or higher, which puts you in the top 25% of all PSAT test takers. PSAT scoring can be pretty complex, so it's important to understand how it works.

National Merit Scholarship requirements are based on a student's PSAT/NMSQT. Students usually take this exam in their junior year of high school. Each year, 1.5 million students enter the competition to become National Merit Scholars. Of these students, approximately 7,500 will receive National Merit Scholarships.

Taking the PSAT 10 doesn't qualify students for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Some schools charge students a fee to take the PSAT 10, but many don't. There are no PSAT 10 fee waivers.

If you scored 650 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 700 in Math, for example, your total PSAT score would be 650 + 700 = 1350. Based on the chart, you can see that a total score of 1350 falls in the 94th percentile.

The PSAT is scored on the same rubric, but a slightly different scale, as the real SAT. While the SAT is scored in a range of 400–1600, the PSAT is scored in a range of 320–1520.

A combined score of 900 is the 31st percentile, (students scored higher than 31% of the people but unfortunately, 69% of the students scored higher). On the other end of the spectrum, a score of 1220 is the 85th percentile (students scored higher than 85% of the people and only 15% of the students scored higher).

Is 990 PSAT score good? ›

Freshmen. For high school freshmen, based on data from test takers during the 2020-2021 school year, a “good” score in the 75th percentile is between 990-1000.

A score in the 75th percentile is considered the benchmark — usually an 1150 overall. The top 1% of junior test-takers become semifinalists for National Merit scholarships.

The PSAT is scored between 320 and 1520, while the SAT is scored from 400 to 1600. PSAT scores correspond directly to SAT scores, so a 1250 on the PSAT equals a 1250 on the SAT. But because the SAT is more challenging, a perfect score on the PSAT does not equal a perfect score on the SAT.

That same percentile ranking on the SAT equals a score of 1400. Given the likelihood of a 50 point drop between the PSAT and the SAT, a student who scored a 1200 on the PSAT, but wants to achieve a 1300+ on the SAT is looking to increase their score by about 150 points, not just 100 points.

A score in the 50th percentile, 1010, is considered average. Students who scored at least a 1450 fall in the top 1% of test takers, which can put them in the running for national merit scholarships, Staples says. 1490-1520 Score. 99+ Percentiles. 1360-1480 Score.

According to this chart, a good PSAT score for a junior is a composite score higher than 1150, an OK score is one higher than 1000 or 1010, and an excellent score is anything higher than 1280.

Additionally, your PSAT scores are a good predictor for how you may score on the SAT, which will be very important for college admissions and scholarships.

The PSAT is not used directly by colleges and universities when they make their college admissions decisions. Your acceptance or rejection into college is much more dependent on the SAT or ACT , so the short answer is “no,” colleges don't care at all about the PSAT.

Harvard SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

There's no absolute SAT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 1460 to have a chance at being considered.

What is the average PSAT score for 11th grade? ›

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.

A score of 1280 puts a student in the 95th percentile, meaning they scored higher than 95% of other students who took the test. This score is also above the average score, which is a 920. A score of 1280 or higher may qualify a student for certain scholarship awards and other academic honors.

The data above tells us that the top 1% of test takers—about 16,000 juniors—scored between 1460 and 1520. Contrary to what many believe, you do not need a perfect PSAT score to get into the 99th percentile.

The average cutoff for all states was 215.

If you haven't taken the PSAT yet and are aiming for National Merit, you should aim to get a Selection Index score 2-5 points higher than the cutoff score for your state.