Congratulations! You’ve made it halfway through your high school career. As we’re sure you know, now is the time to start thinking about college choices. The first exciting step is to take the PSAT®/NMSQT. This guide walks you through the test, explains how to understand your score, and gives you an idea of a good PSAT® score for your junior year. Look forward to taking the PSAT®/NMSQT at your school sometime in October or November.

Changing to the Digital PSAT®:

You’ll need to know about the changes to the rules and content of the test that the College Board released in 2023-2024 to prepare for your best PSAT® score possible. These changes are in concordance with the updated SAT®s. These changes primarily reflect the shift to a fully digital format, altering how the test is administered and experienced.

1. Digital Format: The PSAT® has moved from paper to a digital platform.
2. Adaptive Questions: The test now adjusts the difficulty of some questions based on how well you’re doing. If you answer the first section well, the questions in the second section could be harder.
3. Shorter Duration: The total time for the test is now 2 hours and 14 minutes.
4. Tools Included: The digital test comes with helpful tools, such as a calculator for math and a highlighter for reading passages.

These changes mean you’ll need to adjust your study habits a bit. The key to doing well is practicing with digital formats and getting comfortable with the new tools and adaptive nature of the test.

PSAT® Test Timing:

The new digital PSAT® now spans 2 hours and 14 minutes, making it shorter than the previous versions. This change in duration is designed to streamline the testing experience, alleviating some of the stress associated with longer test periods.

Each section of the test is precisely timed to balance the number of questions, giving you more focused time for each question. This adjustment means fewer questions overall but more time per question, which can help achieve a more thoughtful and thorough approach to answering.

Here’s a chart explaining the time allotted and number of questions for each test section.

Section	Time	Number of Questions
Reading and Writing	2 32-minute sections 64 minutes total	27 questions each 54 questions total
Break	10 minutes
Math	2 35-minutes sections 70 minutes total	22 questions each 44 questions total
Total	2 hours and 14 minutes	98 questions

PSAT® Question Formats:

The PSAT®/NMSQT has different focuses for each section. We’ll explain each section in detail, including what you should study and how to answer questions. We can help you achieve the kind of score you want on the PSAT®/NMSQT by showing you how to make your most educated guesses. Let’s start with the Reading and Writing section.

An Introduction to the New PSAT® Reading and Writing Section:

The PSAT® Reading and Writing section has had some big changes in the shift to the digital PSAT®.

• Shorter Passages: Each passage is concise, allowing you to view the entire text without needing to scroll.
• Single Question Per Passage: Every passage is accompanied by just one question, simplifying the test-taking process.
• Structured Question Order: The test follows a predictable order in presenting question types. The first part of each module focuses on Reading questions, where you might analyze vocabulary in context or interpret textual evidence. The latter part emphasizes Writing, including grammar, punctuation, and style questions.
• Integrated Questions: The Writing questions require you to edit and improve given texts, focusing on clarity, grammar, and effective language use.
• Digital Interface Features: The digital format includes tools such as highlighting and annotations, which are essential for navigating the test effectively.

These changes aim to make the digital PSAT® more accessible and less daunting, allowing you to efficiently demonstrate your reading and writing skills. Focusing on shorter texts and the predictable structure of the sections are designed to help you manage your time better and focus on accurately demonstrating your abilities.

To get accustomed to the new format and question styles, consider using resources that simulate the digital test environment, such as the College Board’s Bluebook app and official practice materials.

How to Study for the PSAT® Math Section:

The digital PSAT® Math section includes 44 questions divided into two modules, each lasting 35 minutes. The questions cover four main content areas: Algebra, Advanced Math, Problem-Solving and Data Analysis, and Geometry and Trigonometry.

PSAT® Math Question Format:

In the new digital format of the PSAT®, the Math section includes 44 questions spread across two modules, each designed to evaluate a variety of mathematical skills. Unlike the previous paper-based format, there is no distinct “no-calculator” section. Calculators are permitted throughout the entire test.

Math Question Types:

• Multiple-Choice Questions: The majority of the questions are multiple-choice, providing a selection of possible answers from which you must choose the correct one.
• Student-Produced Responses: Approximately 30% of the questions require you to generate and enter your own answers. These “grid-in” questions challenge you to come up with the solution without being influenced by provided options.

Section Details:

Each module allows you 35 minutes to complete the questions, averaging about 1 minute and 35 seconds per question. This setup balances the need for thoughtful calculation with the pressures of a timed exam environment.

The questions are arranged to progress from simpler to more complex, ensuring that all test-takers have the opportunity to demonstrate their mathematical knowledge and reasoning abilities effectively.

Key Changes:

• Calculators: Calculators are now permitted throughout the entire Math section. This includes a built-in graphing calculator available in the Bluebook testing platform.
• Question Contexts: Many Math questions are set within real-world or cross-disciplinary (such as science or social studies) contexts, challenging you to apply mathematical concepts practically.
• Content Breakdown: The questions are well-distributed across essential high school math topics:
  • Algebra: Questions will test your ability to create and solve equations, including systems of equations.
  • Advanced Math: Focuses on understanding and solving complex equations and functions.
  • Problem-Solving and Data Analysis: Emphasizes quantitative reasoning, interpretation of data, and statistical analysis.
  • Geometry and Trigonometry: Covers calculations with shapes, angles, and trigonometric functions.

Helpful PSAT® Math Tips:

To excel in the digital PSAT® Math section, it’s important to adapt your preparation strategy to the new test format. Here are some focused strategies to help you prepare effectively:

1. Practice with Technology: Familiarize yourself with the digital interface, especially the built-in graphing calculator, to ensure you are comfortable navigating and using these tools during the test.
2. Focus on Applied Math: Given the significant number of questions involving real-world scenarios, focus your preparation on applying math concepts to solve practical problems.
3. Review Core Concepts: You should ensure a strong grasp of algebra and function-based questions, as these are central to the PSAT® Math section.
4. Take Practice Tests: Use the official practice tests available on the Bluebook platform to get accustomed to the timing, format, and types of questions you will encounter. This will also help identify areas where you need further study.

By understanding these changes and focusing your study plan accordingly, you can approach the digital PSAT® Math section with confidence.

What PSAT® Scores Mean:

Now that you know how to study for each section, you need to learn how to decipher your score report. Understanding these numbers will help you decide if you’ve gotten a good PSAT®/NMSQT score. There are four scores on each report, and they all measure different aspects of how well you did. Let’s walk through the practicalities of the scaled, section, and raw scores, as well as the National Merit Selection Index.

Scaled Score:

Your scaled score is the headline of your PSAT® score report, ranging from 320 to 1520. This score is a sum of your performances in the Math section and the combined Reading and Writing section. The highest possible score is 1520, slightly lower than the SAT®’s top score of 1600, reflecting the slightly less challenging nature of the PSAT®.

Section Score:

Each of the two main sections, Math and Reading and Writing, is scored on a scale from 160 to 760. These scores are directly derived from your raw scores, which count the number of correct answers without any penalty for incorrect responses.

National Merit Index Selection:

This score ranges from 48 to 228 and is calculated using your Reading and Writing and Math test scores. It’s used to determine eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship Program and is a critical metric for juniors taking the PSAT®.

Percentiles:

The report includes percentile ranks that compare your performance to that of other test-takers. This percentile indicates how well you scored compared to other students who took the PSAT®.

A percentile rank represents the percentage of test-takers who scored lower than you on the PSAT®. For example, if you are in the 70th percentile, it means you scored higher than 70% of the students who took the test.

Percentiles help gauge your relative performance and can provide insight into how competitive your score might be in college admissions or scholarship considerations.

Colleges and scholarship programs often use percentile ranks to assess an applicant’s academic ability compared to a broader applicant pool. For students, understanding percentiles can help in setting realistic goals for future tests, such as the SAT®, and identifying areas where they may need to focus their study efforts to improve.

11th Grade Percentile Scores Per Section:

Converted Section Score	Reading and Writing	Math
760	99+	99+
750	99+	99+
740	99+	99
730	99+	98
720	99	98
710	99	97
700	99	97
690	98	96
680	98	96
670	97	95
660	96	94
650	95	93
640	94	93
630	92	92
620	91	90
610	89	89
600	86	88
590	84	86
580	82	83
570	79	80
560	77	78
550	74	74
540	71	70
530	67	66
520	63	61
510	59	59
500	60	55
490	55	50
480	50	45
470	46	39
460	42	36

450	39	33
440	35	27
430	28	23
420	25	19
410	23	16
400	21	14
390	18	11
380	15	8
370	11	6
350	7	3
340	5	2
330	4	1
320	2	1
310	1	1
300	1	1
290	1-	1
280	1-	1
270	1-	1
260	1-	1
250	1-	1
240	1-	1
230	1-	1-
220	1-	1-
210	1-	1-
200	1-	1-
190	1-	1-
180	1-	1-
170	1-	1-
160	1-	1-
Mean Score	489	498
Standard Deviation	95	91

Source: College Board

While the data is preliminary, you may be interested to know that a 99th percentile score in Reading and Writing is 700 while the same percentile score in Math is a 740. These scores are good benchmarks to see where you need to be to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship.

What’s a Good PSAT® Score?

Obviously, the top 99^th percentiles are fantastic scores. Don’t feel pressured to meet those exceedingly high standards. It may be easier to think about “good” junior year PSAT® scores this way: the 50th percentile is right in the middle of the population of students taking the test. Scores around the 50th percentile in each section are 470 to 480. Depending on your high school grades and your ambitions, you can decide where you’d like to be with respect to the middle scores.

NMSC Scholarship Eligibility Based on PSAT® Scores:

If you’re lucky enough to make it to the top one percent of test-takers, look forward to participating in the National Merit Scholarship Competition. To register for entry in the National Merit Scholarship, you must be an eleventh grader taking the PSAT®/NMSQT in the first half of the school year. If you take the test in 2024, for example, you will be entering to receive scholarships awarded in 2026, during the spring of your senior year. The best way to tell if you qualify for the program is right on your score report. If the number on your Selection Index has an asterisk (*) next to it, you don’t qualify.

NMSC Finalists and Semifinalists:

Of the 1.5 million test-takers, around 50,000 students compete in the scholarship program. Two-thirds of these students receive Letters of Commendation. 

Other opportunities exist for commended students; like the National Achievement Scholarship program for African-American students, the National Hispanic Recognition Program, and the Telluride Association, which offers scholarship money for juniors to take summer programs in the humanities and social sciences.

In early September of the next year, NMSC notifies Semifinalists for the competition. The organization awards Semifinalist status based on individual state scores to keep the program fair across the country. Semifinalists receive applications to complete, and around 15,000 selected students become Finalists.

If you want an even more detailed explanation, including a list of corporations, businesses, and colleges that sponsor scholarships, look here.

Preparing for the PSAT® as a Junior

Qualifying for the NMSC isn’t the only way to measure your score as “good” or “bad.” Look back at the chart rating percentiles to find the numbers you could most plausibly achieve. Now that you know what to learn and how to study, you’re on track to achieve your best possible PSAT® scores.

If you want to learn even more about the junior year PSAT®/NMSQT– from test day rules to practice tests– check out this PDF from the College Board. Don’t worry, your best PSAT® score is within your reach, and you have plenty of tools and references at your disposal. No matter what a good PSAT® score means to you, you will achieve it if you focus and study hard.

Looking for PSAT® practice?

Albert has hundreds of PSAT® practice questions and full-length practice tests to try out.