Before your test
Digital PSAT overview
PSAT Prep
The PSAT/NMSQT is College Board's Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, covering Reading and Writing and Math. Start your prep by confirming your school's test date, taking an official practice test, and reviewing weak skills. Use the guides below for practice or help understanding your score.
Choose your next step
Do you need practice or score guidance?
After a score report
PSAT-to-SAT score guide
Understand the shared score scale, what a PSAT result can tell you, and why a conversion is not a promise of your next SAT score.Read the score guideSchool testing
When is the PSAT/NMSQT, and how do you register?
The fall 2026 PSAT/NMSQT testing window is October 1 through October 30, 2026. This is a window, not one nationwide appointment. Your school selects its date and handles registration; ask your counselor about your assigned day, local deadlines, device arrangements, and any accommodations.
Taking PSAT 10 instead? College Board lists its spring 2027 window as March 1 through April 30, 2027. Confirm the assessment name with your school before choosing practice materials. Check College Board's current testing windows and in-school assessment guidance for updates and participation information.
Score basics
How is the PSAT scored?
The PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 use a 320-1520 total score range, with Reading and Writing and Math each scored from 160 to 760. PSAT 8/9 uses a 240-1440 total range. Those are assessment-specific ranges, not interchangeable maximum scores.
Start with your section scores and the Knowledge and Skills breakdown to identify what needs work. Our PSAT-to-SAT score guide explains comparisons with the SAT without treating a score estimate as a guaranteed outcome. College Board's score-report explanation is the source for the official ranges.
Know your assessment
What does PSAT/NMSQT have to do with National Merit?
The PSAT/NMSQT is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program. A practice-test score or an estimated SAT score is not a qualification decision. Read College Board's National Merit overview and follow National Merit Scholarship Corporation's eligibility and recognition rules.
PSAT questions
What should you know before preparing?
Where should I start with PSAT prep?
Confirm which PSAT assessment your school offers and your assigned test date. Then use a free official full-length practice test in Bluebook to identify skills to review. Our PSAT practice guide covers the test options, mistake review, and a four-week study plan.
When is the PSAT/NMSQT in 2026?
College Board lists October 1 through October 30, 2026 as the fall PSAT/NMSQT testing window. Your school chooses its testing date within that window and handles registration. Ask your counselor for your assigned date, local deadlines, and test-day arrangements.
What is the highest PSAT score?
The PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 total score ranges from 320 to 1520. Each Reading and Writing or Math section ranges from 160 to 760. PSAT 8/9 uses a different total range, 240 to 1440, so check the assessment name before interpreting a score.
Does a PSAT score guarantee a later SAT score or a scholarship?
No. Treat your PSAT result as information about your current skills, not a guaranteed future SAT result. The PSAT/NMSQT is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program, but eligibility and recognition are governed by National Merit Scholarship Corporation, not by a PSAT-to-SAT score estimate.
Primary sources
Official PSAT information
- In-school assessments and registrationCollege Board
- Current test dates and testing windowsCollege Board
- What is on the PSAT/NMSQT?College Board
- PSAT/NMSQT and National MeritCollege Board
- Score ranges and score reportsCollege Board
Dates, format, and scoring reviewed . Your school is the source for your assigned test date and local arrangements.