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The PSAT Scoring Scale

A PSAT score report contains a separate score for each of the three section types (Critical Reading, Math, and Writing Skills) on a scale from 20 to 80. The score report also contains the test-taker’s Selection Index, which is the sum of the scaled scores for each of the three section types. The selection index is scored on a scale of 60 to 240, and is used to determine eligibility for National Merit Scholarship awards.

The first step in calculating these scores is to determine the individual raw scores for each section type . A correct answer on a multiple-choice question adds 1 point to the raw score, while an incorrect answer choice subtracts .25 points. A correct answer on a Grid-In math question also adds 1 point to the raw score, but there is no penalty for incorrect answers on these questions. Questions left unanswered do not affect a student’s raw score.

Next, the raw score for each section type is converted to a scaled score between 20 and 80 through a process called equating. This process corrects for minor variations in the difficulty of different test administrations so that the same level of ability should lead to the same scaled score on any test. The scaled score that corresponds to a particular raw score varies slightly from test to test:

Percentile rankings show how a test-taker’s scaled score compares to the scores of test-takers nationwide. The chart below shows the percentile rankings for individual section types.

Scores and Percentile Rankings for Students who took the PSAT in 2010
Juniors	Sophomores
Percentile	Percentile

Score	Critical Reading	Math	Writing Skills	Score	Critical Reading	Math	Writing Skills
80	99+	99+	99+	80	99+	99+	99+
79	99+	99+	99+	79	99+	99+	99+
78	99+	99+	99+	78	99+	99+	99+
77	99	99	99+	77	99+	99+	99+
76	99	99	99	76	99+	99+	99+
75	99	99	99	75	99+	99+	99+
74	99	98	99	74	99+	99	99+
73	98	98	99	73	99	99	99+
72	98	97	97	72	99	99	99+
71	97	97	98	71	99	99	99+
70	97	96	98	70	99	99	99+
69	96	95	97	69	99	98	99
68	96	95	97	68	99	98	99
67	95	94	96	67	98	98	99
66	94	92	95	66	97	97	99
65	94	90	95	65	97	96	99
64	92	90	93	64	97	96	98
63	90	88	93	63	96	95	98
62	89	85	91	62	95	94	97
61	87	82	97	61	94	92	96
60	85	82	88	60	93	92	95
59	83	79	88	59	91	90	95
58	80	76	86	58	90	88	94
57	78	73	83	57	89	86	92
56	76	72	82	56	87	86	92
55	73	69	80	55	85	83	90
54	70	66	79	54	83	80	89
53	67	62	75	53	80	78	87
52	65	61	72	52	79	77	85
51	58	58	68	51	73	74	82
50	58	54	68	50	73	71	82
49	55	51	63	49	70	68	78
48	49	47	58	48	65	65	74
47	45	43	54	47	62	61	71
46	42	40	51	46	58	58	67
45	38	40	50	45	55	58	67
44	35	36	44	44	51	54	62
43	32	33	40	43	48	51	58
42	29	30	36	42	45	47	54
41	26	27	33	41	41	44	49
40	23	24	29	40	36	40	45
39	20	21	27	39	32	36	44
38	18	18	21	38	30	32	35
37	15	16	21	37	26	28	35
36	13	13	18	36	23	24	30
35	13	11	15	35	23	21	26
34	10	11	11	34	19	21	20
33	8	9	77	33	15	17	20
32	7	7	8	32	14	13	16
31	6	7	6	31	11	13	12
30	6	5	6	30	11	9	12
29	4	3	4	29	8	7	9
28	4	3	4	28	8	7	8
27	3	2	2	27	5	5	5
26	3	2	2	26	5	5	5
25	2	1	2	25	3	3	5
24	1	1	2	24	3	3	5
23	1	1	1	23	3	3	3
22	1	1	1	22	2	1	3
21	1	1	1	21	2	1	1
20	1	1	1	20	1	1	1

The chart below shows the percentile rankings for Selection Index scores. Since National Merit Scholarship awards are based partially on geography, the qualifying Selection Index will vary from state to state. Typically, a Selection Index between 204 and 223 is needed to qualify as a National Merit Semifinalist. Note that only high school juniors are eligible to compete for these awards.

Scores and Percentile Rankings for Students who took the PSAT in 2010
Selection Index	Percentile	Selection Index	Percentile	Selection Index	Percentile
222-240	99+	174	84	126	31
221	99	173	83	125	30
220	99	172	82	124	29
219	99	171	82	123	28
218	99	170	81	122	27
217	99	169	80	121	25
216	99	168	79	120	24
215	99	167	78	119	23
214	99	166	77	118	22
213	99	165	76	117	21
212	99	164	75	116	21
211	99	163	74	115	20
210	98	162	73	114	19
209	98	161	72	113	18
208	98	160	71	112	17
207	98	159	70	111	16
206	98	158	69	110	15
205	98	157	68	109	15
204	97	156	67	108	14
203	97	155	66	107	13
202	97	154	65	106	12
201	97	153	64	105	12
200	96	152	63	104	11
199	96	151	61	103	10
198	96	150	60	102	10
197	96	149	59	101	9
196	95	148	58	100	9
195	95	147	57	99	8
194	95	146	55	98	8
193	94	145	54	97	7
192	94	144	53	96	7
191	94	143	52	95	6
190	93	142	50	94	6
189	93	141	49	93	5
188	92	140	48	92	5
187	92	139	47	91	5
186	91	138	45	90	4
185	91	137	44	89	4
184	90	136	43	88	4
183	90	135	42	87	3
182	89	134	40	86	3
181	89	133	39	85	3
180	88	132	38	84	2
179	87	131	37	83	2
178	87	130	36	82	2
177	86	129	34	81	2
176	85	128	33	80	1
175	85	127	32	60-79	1