Student Score Report
Get the most out of PSAT/NMSQT results
In early December, your school's PSAT/NMSQT score reports will be shipped addressed to your school principal. Your school will receive two sets of students' score reports, one to distribute to students, the other to keep on file. Learn more about how to share results with students and parents.
The information below explains each section of the student score report to help you get the most out of the PSAT/NMSQT results.
Scores
PSAT/NMSQT scores are reported on a scale of 20 to 80. In 2009, the average score for eleventh graders was about 47 in Critical Reading, 48 in Mathematics, and 46 in Writing Skills. The average score for tenth graders is about 42 in Critical Reading, 43 in Mathematics, and 41 in Writing Skills. Unless students earn scores that are much lower than average, they're probably developing the kinds of critical reading, math reasoning, and writing skills needed for academic success in college.
Score ranges
No test measures precisely what someone knows, and many factors can affect results. That is why test makers think of each score as a range that extends from a few points below to a few points above the score earned. The Score Ranges section of the report shows the extent to which an individual student's score might differ with repeated testing, assuming that the student's skill level remains the same.
Grade-specific percentiles
Juniors who take the PSAT/NMSQT receive percentiles that compare their scores with those of all eleventh-graders taking the test. Tenth-graders and younger students are compared to all tenth-graders.
National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) information
The Selection Index is in the NMSC section of the PSAT/NMSQT score report. This index is used by National Merit Scholarship Corporation to designate groups to be recognized in its scholarship programs. If an asterisk appears next to the Selection Index, it would mean the student does not meet entry requirements for the programs. (This is usually because students must take the test in their third year of high school to enter NMSC programs and scholarship competitions.)
Educational plans
Under Educational Plans, you'll see the student's self-reported:
- Grade average
- College major of interest
The score report gives students helpful counseling information, including a description of the type of study and work that complement their interests, along with associated skills and recommended high school courses. Students can then use MyRoad™ in My College QuickStart™ to explore majors, colleges, and careers that interest them.
Review your answers
The score report is designed to be used with the student's PSAT/NMSQT test book. It lists all of the student's answers with a summary of how well he or she did on easy, medium, and hard questions.
Improve your skills
The Improve Your Skills section provides personalized critical reading, math, and writing skills feedback based on a student's pattern of responses across test questions. The skills listed are those that have the best chance of improvement. The How to Improve tips, keyed to pertinent test questions, are provided to help students strengthen skills.