What is the Highest PSAT Score?
What is PSAT?
In order for us to go over the scores, let us define what is PSAT first. PSAT is a test that is intended to assist high school sophomores and juniors in their preparation for the SAT. The PSAT can also be used as a gauge to determine how well you will perform on other national tests and point out the subject areas on which you should concentrate your studies.
However, the PSAT isn’t just for practice—the results are also used to determine which students will be awarded scholarships through the National Merit Scholarship Program.
In line with this, it is best that as early as possible, you are able to identify what is the highest PSAT score and evaluate whether it is good enough or not.
What is the possible scoring range on the PSAT?
The primary components of the PSAT are the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) section and the Mathematics section. Your total is determined by adding the scores from both of the sections, which are based on a scale that ranges from 160 to 760. The range for your overall PSAT score is from 320 to 1520.
These scores are supposed to be able to predict how well you will do on the SAT. For instance, if you received a score of 1100 on the PSAT, it indicates that you would most likely receive the same score on the SAT.
On the other hand, given the greater difficulty of the SAT, its score range is somewhat different, going from 400 to 1600.
To put it another way, achieving a perfect score of 1520 on the PSAT does not guarantee that you will achieve a perfect score of 1600 on the SAT.
In addition, your score report will include a “test score,” which will be based on a scale ranging from 8 to 38 and will break down each of the section scores into the skills that you were tested on.
The purpose of these scores is to provide test-takers with an understanding of their level of proficiency on each component of the exam.
They are also utilized in the process of calculating a Selection Index score, which is a criterion utilized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) in the selection of semifinalists.
Last but not least, the report of your PSAT scores will include cross-test scores and subscores. These scores and subscores will help you understand how well you performed on more specific skills and topics, such as scientific analysis.
What is the highest PSAT score that you can get and how will you determine it?
In the report of your PSAT scores, you will see a percentile ranking that places you in relation to everyone else who took the PSAT in that given year. The percentile indicates the proportion of students who received scores that were either comparable to or lower than your own.
For instance, if you are in the 80th percentile, it means that you scored at the same level as or higher than 80 percent of all of the people who took the test. The higher the percentile, the greater the number of other students whose grades you have surpassed.
If you received a score that was higher than the 50th percentile, it indicates that you performed better than the majority of people who took the test. Therefore, a score that is considered to be “good” would likely fall somewhere between the 75th and 90th percentiles.
The percentile rankings for PSAT scores shift subtly from year to year and depend on the group that is being tested. A score of 590 on the EBRW, 570 on the Math section, and 1150 overall are equivalent to scoring in the 75th percentile for test takers in the 2020-21 school year.
How does one determine what is the highest PSAT score based on academic benchmarks?
Your PSAT score report will include benchmarks that will assist you in determining where your scores fall in relation to those of other individuals who took the exam. Students are able to gauge their readiness for college as well as their potential performance on standardized tests with the help of the benchmarks.
Your performance is represented by benchmarks that are color-coded green, yellow, and red respectively. Scores that are green either meet or exceed the benchmark, scores that are yellow indicate that they were close to meeting the benchmark and are likely to improve within one year, and scores that are red indicate that they will require significant growth in order to meet the benchmarks.
A Math score of at least 510 and an EBRW score of at least 460 are required to meet the criteria for the green benchmarks.
Tips to help you understand your PSAT score report
In order for you to identify what is the highest PSAT score that you can get, it is essential that you know how to read and understand your test scores well.
Your PSAT score report contains a lot of numbers, but none of them are formatted in a way that is similar to the grades you receive in class. The following provides an explanation of what each component of your score report actually means, as well as how the respective numbers are arrived at.
The sum of your points (320 to 1520)
Your total score, which can be found on page 2 of your score report, is the number that immediately jumps out at you when you look at the report. This score can be anywhere between 320 and 1520. This score is the result of adding the scores you received in both the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section (which we refer to as Verbal) and the Math section.
You will be able to see where your score falls in relation to the overall percentile just below the total score. This number is a comparison of how well you did on the test to the performance of the other students in your grade who also took it.
Your results in each section (160 to 760)
You will see your scores for both the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section and the Math section just below your overall score. Scores can range anywhere from 160 to 760 for each section.
You should see a percentile for each section just below the scores that you received in each of the subsections. These numbers, in addition to the overall score, are provided as a means of comparing how well you did on the test to the performance of everyone else in your grade who took it.
PSAT benchmarks for a student in the 11th grade are scores of 460 in the verbal section and 510 in the math section. The benchmarks are roughly equivalent to getting a grade of C in the first college class that you take on the topic.
Your section scores are displayed on a bar chart with different sections colored green, yellow, and red. Green indicates that you have successfully met the requirements for your grade; yellow indicates that you came very close, and red indicates that you may have deficiencies in certain areas.
Your personal ratings on each exam (8 to 38)
The scores will be a number anywhere from eight to thirty-eight. These figures are derived from your “raw score,” which is determined by the number of questions for which you received a correct response.
For instance, if you completed the writing test with a score of 17 correct responses out of a total of 44 questions, your “Writing and Language Test Score” for the October exam this year will be 20.
Your section scores are determined based on your raw test scores, which are as follows:
- The score on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Verbal) section equals the product of the scores obtained on the Reading Test and the Writing and Language Test multiplied by 10.
- Math section score equals math test score multiplied by twenty.
Your score on the Selection Index (48 to 228)
The Selection Index Score is the number that many students in the 11th grade are interested in finding out for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
This number was arrived at by taking your score from the verbal section of the test, multiplying it by two, adding it to your score from the math section, and then dividing the total by ten. (Verbal + Verbal + Math)/10. It ought to be a number that falls in the range of 48 and 228.
We advise you to run the question-level feedback analysis in order to get a better idea of the areas in which you need to focus your study efforts before your next exam.
Your Subscores
Find out what is the highest PSAT score that you get and identify how well you did in the various categories listed below by accessing the subscores included in your online score report. This information is especially helpful when figuring out the kinds of problems you’ll need to practice before your next test because you’ll need to prepare for them.
What are the PSAT scores?
So, what are the PSAT scores? How will you determine what is the highest PSAT score that you can get? Here is the PSAT score range base on performance:
- 11th Grade Scoring Distributions
- Elite PSAT Scores: 1370-1520
On the PSAT, students in the 11th grade who achieve a score of 1370 or higher place themselves in the top one percent of all test takers.
- Total Score: 1370-1520
- Math Section Score: 720+
- Verbal Section Score: 680+
Excellent PSAT Scores: 1200-1360
Students in the 11th grade who took the PSAT and received a score in the range of 1200 to 1360 are considered to be among the top 10% of all test takers.
- Total Score: 1200-1360
- Math Section Score: 600-710
- Verbal Section Score: 610-670
Above Average PSAT Scores: 1080-1190
On the PSAT, students in the 11th grade who achieved a score in the range of 1080 to 1190 placed themselves in the top 25 percent of all test takers.
- Total Score: 1080-1190
- Math Section Score: 550-590
- Verbal Section Score: 550-600
Average PSAT Scores: 960-1070
Students in the 11th grade who take the PSAT and earn a score in the range of 960 to 1070 will place in the top half of all students who take the exam.
- Total Score: 960-1070
- Math Section Score: 490-540
- Verbal Section Score: 480-540
Below Average PSAT Scores: 320-950
Students in the 11th grade who took the PSAT and received a score in the range of 320 to 950 on the exam will have scored in the bottom half of all students who took the exam.
- Total Score: 320-950
- Math Section Score: below 480
- Verbal Section Score: below 470
- 10th Grade Scoring Distributions
Elite PSAT Scores: 1360-1520
Students in the 10th grade who take the PSAT and earn a score of 1360 or higher will be considered to be among the top 1% of all test takers.
- Total Score: 1360-1520
- Math Section Score: 700+
- Verbal Section Score: 690+
Excellent PSAT Scores: 1170-1350
On the PSAT, students in the 10th grade who received a score in the range of 1170 to 1350 are considered to be among the top 10% of all test takers.
- Total Score: 1170-1350
- Math Section Score: 590-690
- Verbal Section Score: 600-680
Above Average PSAT Scores: 1060-1160
Students in the 10th grade who take the PSAT and earn a score in the range of 1060 to 1160 points will place in the top 25 percent of all test takers.
- Total Score: 1060-1160
- Math Section Score: 530-580
- Verbal Section Score: 540-590
Average PSAT Scores: 920-1050
Students in the 10th grade who take the PSAT and earn a score in the range of 920 and 1050 will place in the top half of all students who take the exam.
- Total Score: 920-1050
- Math Section Score: 470-520
- Verbal Section Score: 470-530
Below Average PSAT Scores: 320-910
Students in the 10th grade who took the PSAT and earned a score ranging from 320 Add Newto 910 will have scores that place them in the bottom half of all test takers.
- Total Score: 320-910
- Math Section Score: below 460
- Verbal Section Score: below 460
How important is the PSAT score for the national merit scholarship?
Given that you already know what is the highest PSAT score that you can get, you can determine whether or not it will be good enough for you to gain a national merit scholarship.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) awards scholarships to the top one percent of junior semifinalists each year. To be eligible for one of these awards, your score must be in the 99th percentile or higher. Fewer than eight thousand of those students will end up being awarded a scholarship.
The NMSC will choose the semifinalists for scholarships based on their score on the Selection Index. The minimum qualifying score for semifinalists varies slightly from state to state and can be anywhere from 209 to 222 points. In order to be taken into consideration for the National Merit Scholarship Program, you will need to achieve a minimum score of 35 on each of the three sections of the test.
Why PSAT score is important?
Provided below is the list with four justifications as to why students should take the PSAT and why the PSAT score is important:
1. The PSAT is a practice exam for the SAT.
You can get a head start on the SAT and ACT by taking the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) when you’re still in high school. This gives you the opportunity to practice for the more important college entrance exams that you’ll have to take later on in your high school career.
You will have the opportunity to become accustomed to the types of questions that are found on standardized tests and evaluate how well you perform under the pressure of strict time limits while a proctor is present.
2. Your performance on the PSAT can direct how you prepare for the SAT.
In addition to your overall scores, you will also receive subscores that provide a more in-depth analysis of how well you performed on the PSAT.
Your preparation for the ACT and SAT exams will benefit from this in-depth analysis because it will help you better understand your strong and weak points. You will also receive a percentile ranking after completing the PSAT, which will enable you to compare your results to those of other juniors in high school who have taken the test.
3. Taking this PSATgives you an edge when applying to colleges.
There are a lot of schools that buy lists of students who have achieved high scores and then encourage those students to apply. If you earn a high score on the PSAT, colleges may take notice of you and provide you with additional opportunities, such as free meals and application fee waivers during college visits.
4. You may be eligible for scholarships if you get a good score on the PSAT.
You can become eligible for a number of different scholarship programs by taking the PSAT, the most notable of which is the National Merit Scholarship Program.
In the fall of their sophomore year, some schools and school districts will administer the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) to their students. This is a great opportunity to get some additional practice in and get a preview of how you might perform when it actually counts in junior year.
Aside from encouraging students to take the PSAT in preparation for their ACT and SAT exams, our goal at AdmissionSight is to significantly improve students’ scores and chances of admission by providing them with one-on-one, individualized instruction.
Our students routinely achieve SAT and ACT composite scores of 1550+ and 35+, respectively, the threshold at which the most selective universities begin to consider an application.
At AdmissionSight, our highly qualified instructors address the student’s weaknesses through crystal clear instruction and repetition of practice problems to solidify their conceptual understanding of the subject matter. Please consult with us about your standardized test prep needs.
