FREE NMSQT Demo Lecture!

The NMSQT stands for the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. In other words, it’s what qualifies you for the National Merit Scholarship. But there’s a bit more you should know.

It refers to the PSAT that students take in their sophomore or junior year to enter the National Merit Scholarship competition, along with tens of thousands of other students (around 1.6 million annually). It’s often shown as PSAT/NMSQT. Your high school will notify you when the PSAT/NMSQT is coming up, and you can sign up for it. It’s not mandatory, but we strongly recommend taking it anyways.

In order to be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Program, a student must:

• – Take the PSAT/NMSQT during his or her 3rd year (junior year) of high school
• – Be enrolled as a high school student (traditional or homeschooled) and plan to enroll in college full time by the fall after his or her high school graduation
• – Attend high school in the U.S., the District of Columbia, or U.S. commonwealth and territory; or meet citizenship requirements for students attending high school outside the U.S.* If a student meets these requirements, he or she will automatically be eligible to participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP).

The test is composed of four sections: two Math Sections, Critical Reading, and Writing Skills; and takes two hours and forty five minutes to complete. Originally, each of the three sections was scored on a scale of 20 to 80 points, adding up to a maximum composite score of 240 points.

• – Score / grade range: 160–760 for two sections
• – Acronym: PSAT/NMSQT
• – Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes
• – Knowledge / skills tested: Reading, mathematics