Signing up for the PSAT your junior year is an important step you can take toward future success. Your scores on the PSAT are strong indicators of how well you will do on the SAT, and they will show you key areas for improvement before you take the SAT.

Furthermore, if your score is good enough, you can qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program, potentially earning thousands of dollars in scholarship money for college.

Like many other high school juniors, you are probably wondering what constitutes a good score.

While this will vary depending on your own personal goals, the factor that determines whether your score is subpar, adequate or average, good, or superb has to do with where it falls in comparison with other juniors who took the PSAT during your same year. 

Typically a score that is “good” enough to start working in your favor will be in or above the 75th percentile.

What are PSAT percentiles?

Percentiles help you determine how well you did in comparison with other juniors who took the same test during the same year.

If your score falls within or above the 75th percentile, for example, it means you scored higher than 75% of the other juniors who took the test. If your score falls within or above the 25th percentile, it means you scored higher than about a quarter of the other juniors who took the test.

Considering this information, your percentile is key for determining whether or not you did well on the PSAT. 

If your score falls within the 50th percentile, you outscored about half of the other test-takers, making your PSAT score average. On the other hand, if your score falls within the 99th percentile or above, this means you outscored almost all of the students who took the PSAT during your junior year, making your PSAT score superb.

The PSAT has a score range of 160- 760 for the Reading and Writing and the Math sections Here are the estimated scores you will need to reach the 75th percentile for each section of the PSAT according to the College Board:

Section Score	Reading and Writing Percentile	Math Percentile
740-760	99+	99+
720-730	99	98
700-710	99	97
680-690	98	96
670	97	95
660	96	94
650	95	93
640	94	93
630	92	92
620	91	90
610	89	89
600	86	88
590	84	86
580	82	83
570	79	80
560	77	78
550	74	74

In order to earn a math or a reading and writing score within or above the 75th percentile, you will need to earn at least a 560 on each section. 

Earning a score within the highest percentile ranges will be beneficial

• A high percentile score will indicate that you are on track for reaching a high percentile on the SAT
• A score within the top percentile will significantly boost your chances of becoming a National Merit Scholar Semi-finalist or Finalist

If you want to unlock the doors for great opportunities in your future, you will want to start preparing for the PSAT as soon as possible.

Preparing for the PSAT

In order to earn a National Merit Scholarship and make sure you are ready to take the SAT in the spring, you will need to have an impressive PSAT score your junior year.

If you have set your sights on reaching a high percentile or qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship program, Prep Expert can help. We offer private PSAT tutoring with expert instructors who can teach you the strategies and concepts you need to know in order to earn scores at or above the 99th percentile on the PSAT.

Our tutors, who scored in the 99th percentile on their own standardized tests, will be able to access your strengths and weaknesses and create an individualized plan tailored to your specific needs.

It is never too early for you to start preparing for the PSAT. In addition to helping you earn a higher score on the actual PSAT, studying for the PSAT will also help you do better on the SAT in the future. 

Remember, your PSAT score helps indicate how well you are likely to do when you take the SAT. If your score is low in comparison to other test-takers, it’s a sign that you will need to put in extra time and effort studying these topics before you take the SAT.

Make sure you are ready to do well on the PSAT and the SAT when you sign up for our private PSAT tutoring. Learn more or enroll today when you visit our website.