In October, students across the country took the PSAT/NMSQT, and some are likely wondering what “NMSQT” stands for.  The answer: National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.  Now that you know that, you’re probably wondering what the National Merit Scholarship is and how you qualify for it.

To enter the National Merit Scholarship Program, students must take the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall of eleventh grade.  Although younger students can take this exam, they are not eligible for the scholarship program.  Additionally, students who take the PSAT 8/9 or PSAT 10 do not qualify for the program.  According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation website, “It is expected that about 3.5 million students will take the PSAT/NMSQT in 2024, and approximately 1.3 million of them will meet requirements to enter this program.”

To become a National Merit Semifinalist, you must get a very high score on the PSAT/NMSQT.  Note that less than 1% of students who take the test will achieve the minimum score.  The highest score you can get on the test is 1520.  This is composed of scores on two sections — Reading & Writing and Math — each of which has a maximum score of 760.

However, qualifying for National Merit is not determined using those “raw scores.”  Rather, it is based on a selection index score, which is calculated by doubling the Reading & Writing score, adding the Math score, and then dividing the total by 10.  (This means that the Reading & Writing score carries more weight than the Math score.)  The selection index score is included on a student’s score report.

The number of National Merit Semifinalists in each state is based on the percentage of graduating high school students in that state, so qualifying scores (also called cutoff scores) are determined for each state.  This means students are not competing against all other test-takers in the country, but only against those in their state.

We don’t yet know what the cutoff scores will be for students in the Class of 2026, but this article provides estimated cutoff scores for each state based on previous years’ scores.

Approximately 16,000 students become National Merit Semifinalists each year.  Another 34,000 students whose scores don’t quite meet the Semifinalist cutoffs are recognized as Commended Students.  Unlike Semifinalists, Commended Students are determined based on a national selection index cutoff score, rather than a state-specific score.  (It’s confusing, I know.)

Names of Semifinalists are sent to their high schools in late August, and schools inform students of their status.  To be considered for Finalist status, students have to complete an application with an essay, and their school has to submit a recommendation.  Additionally, students have to earn a “confirming score” on either the SAT or ACT.  Basically, this is a check to make sure that a student’s high score on the PSAT wasn’t a fluke.  The confirming score is set by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation every year.

Of the 16,000 Semifinalists, about 15,000 become Finalists, and they are notified in February of their senior year.  About half of the Finalists will become National Merit Scholars and receive a scholarship.  There are three types of National Merit Scholarships, and students can only receive one:

1. Scholarships from sponsoring colleges are $500-$2,500 per year and are awarded to approximately 4,000 students.  Students must be accepted to the college and list it as their first choice on the National Merit application.  Students can mark “undecided” when they submit the application and can later update their first choice via their application portal.

2. Scholarships from corporations are $2,500 one-time or $1,000 renewable.  These are awarded to about 1,000 students, most of whom are the children of employees of these corporations.

3. Scholarships from National Merit are $2,500 one-time and are awarded to about 2,500 students.

A list of sponsoring colleges and corporations can be found in this PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide.

You may have heard that some colleges offer large scholarships, up to a full ride, to National Merit Finalists.  Colleges can choose to award more money to National Merit Finalists beyond the minimums stipulated by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.  However, as a general rule, the more selective the college, the less likely it is to offer anything beyond the minimum scholarship.

Even if you don’t get a scholarship, being a National Merit Semifinalist is a significant accomplishment to include on your college applications.