The PSAT and Merit Scholarships: What You Need to Know

What is a “good” PSAT score? What is the point of the PSAT? What’s a National Merit Scholarship? And are there other merit scholarships out there? If you’ve asked these questions recently, you’re not alone.

The College Board PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test), taken October of sophomore or junior year, is more than just a warm up for the SAT or the ACT. While PSAT scores are not used in the college admissions process, they are used to award certain merit scholarships and identify National Merit Scholars.

The PSAT, which is now digital, is typically a student’s first exposure to standardized testing and can be a good indicator of your potential SAT score and a touchstone to guide your preparation for taking the SAT or ACT during your junior and/or senior year.

Scoring among the top percentile of PSAT test-takers is also the only way to enter the highly-selective National Merit Scholarship Competition. According to the College Board, the average PSAT score is about 920 (out of a total between 320-1520). Therefore, a score between 1210 and 1520 can land you in the top 10% of test takers.

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

You might be wondering, what’s the deal with this National Merit Scholarship Program? Well, it’s an annual academic competition that began in 1955 and confers both recognition and scholarships.

There are multiple tiers including commended students, semifinalists, and finalists. Commended students and semifinalists may qualify for some special scholarships through corporate sponsors but only finalists will be considered for the elusive National Merit Scholarships.

Some 7,140 National Merit Scholarships of three types and approximately 740 Special Scholarships will be awarded in 2025; these 7,880 awards will have a combined value of over $35 million, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

There are two additional scholarship providers that participate in College Board’s Student Search using PSAT/NMSQT scores: the National Scholarship Service and Telluride Seminar Scholarships.

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Scholarships Offered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation

Scholarship Name	Who is considered?	What is the monetary value?	Who selects winners?	When do scholarship offers begin being sent out?
National Merit® $2500 Scholarships	All Finalists compete with all other Finalists in their state or other selection unit.	Awards provide a one-time payment of $2,500.	A committee of college admission officers and high school counselors	Late March
Corporate sponsored Merit Scholarships	Finalists who meet criteria specified by a corporate sponsor, usually: children of employees; residents of specific communities; or Finalists with certain college major or career plans	Varies by sponsor— awards can be a one-time payment ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 or renewable awards that range from $1,000 to $10,000 per year.	NMSC’s professional staff	Early March
Corporate sponsored Special Scholarships	High-performing program participants (although not Finalists) who meet a sponsor’s criteria; most are for: children of employees; residents of specific communities; or participants with certain college major or career plans	Varies by sponsor— awards can be a one-time payment ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 or renewable awards that range from $1,000 to $10,000 per year.	NMSC’s professional staff	Early March
College sponsored Merit Scholarships	Finalists who plan to attend a sponsor college and have informed NMSC that the sponsor college is their first choice	Varies by sponsor— awards are renewable for four years of study at the sponsor institution. Stipends range from $500 to $2,000 per year.	Officials of each sponsor college	Early May

PSAT PREP

So, how should you prepare for the PSAT now that you know why it’s important? The best way to start is by taking a practice test and then identifying your areas of strength and weakness, as well as your comfort level in a timed test environment. This will help to guide your studying prior to taking the actual PSAT on test day.

Top Tier Admissions has expert PSAT tutors at the ready and also offers academic tutoring for students looking to strengthen their skills in specific subjects. For comprehensive support through every stage of the college admissions process, consider working with one of our senior private counselors who can support you through your entire journey to college.