The PSAT/NMSQT is the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, a test given to juniors all across the United States in October. Although some school districts offer the PSAT to students in tenth grade to prepare for the real PSAT, the only score that will qualify you for a National Merit Scholarship is the score from your junior year. Unlike with the SAT, you have only one shot to do your best. Students who are hoping to attain the ranking of National Merit Scholar tend to prepare for this test for a long time.
Taking the PSAT provides a great chance to get a feel for taking an actual SAT. In addition, the score report contains useful information that can help guide you on your college search. Also, if you are a great student, taking the PSAT gives you a chance to qualify for college scholarships through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation Program.

PSAT scores are reported in double digits (20-80), rather than triple digits like the SAT (200-800), but the numbers essentially mean the same thing. For example, a 40 on the Critical Reading section of the PSAT is equivalent to a 400 on the Critical Reading section of the SAT. The national average for students taking the PSAT is about a 47 on the Critical Reading (Verbal) section and a 43 on the Mathematics section. A 41 on the Writing section is about average.
These three scores (Critical Reading + Mathematics + Writing) equal your Selection Index (SI). Your SI is the score used to qualify you for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation program. SI is reported in a range from 60–240. The average SI for juniors is 141. Unfortunately, the College Board, which administers the PSAT, no longer publishes a state-by-state listing of SI numbers. SI numbers fluctuate each year because they are based on the scores from the previous year. It is quite possible to have a student who might qualify in his or her own state, but would not qualify in a neighboring state.
The National Merit Scholarship Program has three levels of competition. By the end of their junior year, students who are top scorers based on their SI will receive a notification letter from the National Merit Corporation (NMC). In the fall of the senior year, this number is whittled down by two-thirds to select “Commended Scholars.” This number is cut even further to the National Merit Semi-Finalists. All semi-finalists must complete a lengthy application, including essay and letter of recommendation, to be selected as a National Merit Finalist. Considerations include the courses a student has taken and grades received, as well as extracurricular and leadership activities. After reviewing all information, the NMC makes its selections for the very best of the best, the National Merit Scholar. Colleges all want to have bragging rights about the number of National Merit Scholars they have, so students who earn this distinction have a distinct advantage in the college application process.