What Is the PSAT 10?
The PSAT 10 is the sophomore test in College Board’s SAT Suite of Assessments. The suite also includes the PSAT 8/9 for 8th and 9th graders. College Board states that it and the PSAT/NMSQT are the same test, offered at different times of year, with the same subject matter, score range, and difficulty.
Students take it at school on a date the school chooses. Families do not register directly, and a school that does not order the test does not offer it. Many schools give sophomores the fall PSAT/NMSQT instead, and some give neither.
When Is the PSAT 10 in 2027?
The testing window for the 2026-27 school year runs from March 1 to April 30, 2027. Each school picks its date inside that window, and the school counselor can confirm it. Our guide to when PSAT scores come out lists the spring score release dates.
How Is the PSAT 10 Different From the PSAT/NMSQT?
The content is identical. The differences are in who takes each test, when, and what the score can be used for.
| Feature | PSAT/NMSQT | PSAT 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Who takes it | 11th or 10th graders | 10th graders |
| When it is offered | Fall | Spring |
| Qualifies for the National Merit Scholarship Program | Yes, for 11th graders only | No |
| Qualifies for other scholarship programs | Yes | Yes |
| Fee waivers offered | Yes | No |
A sophomore who takes the fall PSAT/NMSQT is in the same position as one who takes the spring test. Neither score enters the National Merit competition, because only the junior year sitting counts. Our comparison of the SAT and the PSAT covers how both differ from the SAT.
What Is on the Test, and How Is It Scored?
The test lasts 2 hours and 14 minutes and has two sections: Reading and Writing, with 54 questions in 64 minutes, and Math, with 44 questions in 70 minutes. It is taken on a computer or tablet.
The total score runs from 320 to 1520 and is the sum of two section scores of 160 to 760 each. Every test in the suite sits on one scale, so a section score on this test means the same level of skill as the same score on the SAT. Our guide to PSAT scores explains the scale, the percentiles, and what counts as a good score for a sophomore.
College Board sets grade 10 benchmarks of 430 in Reading and Writing and 480 in Math, and in 2025-26 tenth graders averaged 917 on the PSAT 10 or the PSAT/NMSQT. For a student aiming at highly selective colleges, Oriel Admissions suggests a sophomore total of 1200 or more, with neither section far behind the other.
Does the PSAT 10 Count for National Merit?
No. The National Merit Scholarship Program enters students through the PSAT/NMSQT taken in the fall of grade 11. A spring sophomore score is not used, and neither is a fall sophomore score.
The test still connects to scholarships in a smaller way. College Board says it qualifies students for other scholarship programs through its scholarship partners, which use scores to identify students.
How Can a Sophomore Use the Score to Plan for National Merit?
The score makes a preview possible. National Merit ranks students by the Selection Index, which is twice the Reading and Writing score plus the Math score, divided by 10. A sophomore can compute the same number from a PSAT 10 report. A student with 680 in Reading and Writing and 700 in Math, for example, has an index of 206.
That number can be set against the state cutoffs. For the Class of 2027, Semifinalist cutoffs ranged from 208 to 223 depending on the state, and our PSAT score calculator and guide to National Merit Semifinalist cutoffs show each one. Because Reading and Writing counts twice, a student who is a few points short gains more from work on that section.
Oriel Admissions advises sophomores within about 10 index points of their state’s cutoff to prepare seriously for the junior year PSAT/NMSQT, and others to put that time into the SAT. The sophomore result is what tells a family which group a student is in.
Should a Sophomore Take the PSAT 10 or the Fall PSAT/NMSQT?
In most cases the school decides, because it orders one test or the other. Where both are available, either serves the same purpose for a sophomore. The fall test gives an earlier reading and one more experience of the October setting that will count a year later. The spring test comes after more coursework and may show a somewhat higher score.
A student does not need both. One honest sitting in grade 10 gives a family what it needs to plan.
What Should a Family Do After the Scores Arrive?
Three steps follow. First, compare the two sections and note any gap. Second, compute the Selection Index and compare it with the state’s most recent cutoff. Third, set the calendar for junior year: when to prepare for the October PSAT/NMSQT, and when to take the first SAT. Our PSAT to SAT conversion guide and SAT and ACT preparation timeline cover those choices, and the sophomore year checklist places testing alongside courses and activities.
Frequently Asked Questions About the PSAT 10
It is the same test as the PSAT/NMSQT, given to 10th graders in the spring. It has a Reading and Writing section and a Math section and takes 2 hours and 14 minutes.
Schools choose a date between March 1 and April 30, 2027. The school counselor can confirm the date.
No. Only the PSAT/NMSQT taken in the fall of grade 11 enters a student in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
The total score runs from 320 to 1520. Each section, Reading and Writing and Math, is scored from 160 to 760.
Tenth graders take it at school in the spring. Each school decides whether to offer it, and many give sophomores the fall PSAT/NMSQT instead.
No. College Board states that the two are the same test with the same subject matter, score range, and difficulty.
No. The scores are not sent to colleges and do not appear on an application.
Oriel Admissions advises computing the Selection Index from the score and comparing it with the state cutoff. A student within about 10 points should prepare for the junior year PSAT/NMSQT, and others should focus on the SAT.
Sources: College Board: PSAT 10, College Board: PSAT 10 Test Dates, College Board: PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 Comparison, College Board: SAT Suite Benchmarks, College Board: 2026 SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report, Total Group, National Merit Scholarship Corporation
About Oriel Admissions
Oriel Admissions is a Princeton-based college admissions consulting firm advising families nationwide on elite university admissions strategy. Our team brings deep expertise across every dimension of the application, and our distinctive 360 approach develops strategy, positioning, activities, essays, and interviews as one coherent whole. To discuss your family’s admissions strategy, schedule a consultation.
