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PSAT to SAT: Score Conversion & Differences

The PSAT and SAT are similar in format and content, but the PSAT is shorter and has slightly easier questions. The PSAT is used as a practice test for the SAT and also serves as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The PSAT tests the same subjects as the SAT: reading, writing and language, and math with calculator and without calculator, but the PSAT is slightly easier than the SAT.

Table of Contents

PSAT to SAT Score Conversion

Here is an estimated PSAT to SAT score conversion table and associated SAT percentile. There is no direct conversion as the PSAT is slightly different that the PSAT, so the two scores are not able to be accurately converted.

Use this table to estimate your SAT score based on your PSAT score.

PSAT Score Projected SAT Score SAT Percentile
1520 1600 99+
1510 1590 99+
1500 1580 99+
1490 1560 99+
1480 1540 99
1470 1520 99
1460 1500 98
1450 1480 97
1440 1470 97
1430 1460 96
1420 1450 96
1410 1440 95
1400 1430 95
1390 1420 94
1380 1410 94
1370 1410 94
1360 1400 93
1350 1390 93
1340 1380 92
1330 1370 91
1320 1360 91
1310 1350 90
1300 1350 90
1290 1340 89
1280 1320 87
1270 1310 87
1260 1310 87
1250 1300 86
1240 1290 85
1230 1280 84
1220 1270 83
1210 1260 82
1200 1250 81
1190 1240 79
1180 1230 78
1170 1220 77
1160 1210 76
1150 1200 74
1140 1190 73
1130 1180 72
1120 1170 70
1110 1160 69
1100 1140 66
1090 1130 64
1080 1120 63
1070 1110 61
1060 1100 59
1050 1090 58
1040 1080 56
1030 1070 54
1020 1060 52
1010 1060 52
1000 1050 51
990 1040 49
980 1030 47
970 1020 45
960 1010 44
950 990 42
940 980 40
930 980 40
920 970 37
910 960 35
900 940 32
890 940 32
880 930 30
870 910 27
860 910 27
850 900 26
840 890 24
830 880 23
820 870 21
810 850 19
800 850 19
790 830 16
780 820 15
770 810 13
760 800 12
750 790 11
740 770 9
730 760 8
720 750 7
710 750 7
700 740 6
690 720 4
680 710 3
670 700 3
660 690 2
650 690 2

What is on the PSAT?

The PSAT tests the same subjects as the SAT: reading, writing and language, and math with calculator and without calculator. The test is divided into two sections: Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing.

The Math section tests your ability to solve problems using mathematical concepts and skills, and covers topics such as algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. The Math section is divided into two parts: one where you can use a calculator and one where you cannot.

The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section tests your ability to read, analyze, and interpret a variety of texts, as well as your ability to write clearly and effectively. This section includes a reading test, which includes passages from literature, social science, and natural science texts, and a writing and language test, which includes passages that test grammar and usage skills.

The PSAT test is shorter than the SAT, with a total testing time of 2 hours and 45 minutes, and it does not have an essay section.

How is the PSAT Scored?

The PSAT is scored on a scale of 320 to 1520, with a maximum possible score of 760 for each of the two sections: Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. The scores from the two sections are then added together to get the overall score.

Each correct answer earns you one point, and there is no penalty for guessing or leaving a question blank. However, some questions are worth more than one point, depending on their level of difficulty.

The PSAT is scored differently than the SAT, as the PSAT is scaled to a different range and uses a different method of determining student scores. The PSAT scores are not directly comparable to the SAT scores, but they are used to provide a general idea of how well a student may do on the SAT.

The PSAT is also used to qualify students for the National Merit Scholarship Program, which is a scholarship program for high-achieving high school students. The cutoff scores for qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship Program are determined by the scores of all test takers in each state.

PSAT Raw Score to Scaled Score Conversion Table

Raw Score
(# of correct answers)
Reading
Test Score
Writing and Language
Test Score
Math
Test Score
48 760
47 380 750
46 380 740
45 370 730
44 370 380 720
43 360 380 710
42 360 370 690
41 350 360 670
40 350 350 650
39 340 340 640
38 340 340 630
37 330 330 620
36 320 330 610
35 320 320 600
34 310 320 600
33 300 310 590
32 290 300 580
31 290 300 580
30 280 290 570
29 280 290 560
28 270 280 560
27 270 270 550
26 260 270 540
25 260 260 540
24 250 260 530
23 250 250 530
22 240 250 510
21 230 240 500
20 230 230 490
19 220 220 480
18 220 220 470
17 210 210 460
16 200 200 450
15 200 200 440
14 190 190 420
13 180 180 410
12 170 170 400
11 170 160 380
10 160 160 370
9 160 150 350
8 150 140 330
7 140 140 310
6 130 130 290
5 120 130 270
4 110 120 250
3 100 110 230
2 100 100 210
1 90 90 180
0 80 80 160

Examples of PSAT Score Calculations

100% Correct on PSAT: 1520 (760 on Verbal and 760 on Math)

If you get 100% correct on the PSAT in all sections, this would be your estimated score:

Reading:

100% of 47 questions is 47 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 380

Writing & Language:

100% of 44 questions is 44 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 380

Math:

100% of 48 questions is 48 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 760

90% Correct on PSAT: 1420 (710 on Verbal and 710 on Math)

If you get 90% correct on the PSAT in all sections, this would be your estimated score:

Reading:

90% of 47 questions is 42 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 360

Writing & Language:

90% of 44 questions is 40 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 350

Math:

90% of 48 questions is 43 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 710

80% Correct on PSAT: 1290 (660 on Verbal and 630 on Math)

If you get 80% correct on the PSAT in all sections, this would be your estimated score:

Reading:

80% of 47 questions is 38 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 340

Writing & Language:

80% of 44 questions is 35 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 320

Math:

80% of 48 questions is 38 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 630

70% Correct on PSAT: 1200 (600 on Verbal and 600 on Math)

If you get 70% correct on the PSAT in all sections, this would be your estimated score:

Reading:

70% of 47 questions is 33 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 300

Writing & Language:

70% of 44 questions is 31 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 300

Math:

70% of 48 questions is 34 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 600

60% Correct on PSAT: 1100 (540 on Verbal and 560 on Math)

If you get 60% correct on the PSAT in all sections, this would be your estimated score:

Reading:

60% of 47 questions is 28 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 270

Writing & Language:

60% of 44 questions is 26 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 270

Math:

60% of 48 questions is 29 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 560

50% Correct on PSAT: 1030 (500 on Verbal and 530 on Math)

If you get 50% correct on the PSAT in all sections, this would be your estimated score:

Reading:

50% of 47 questions is 24 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 250

Writing & Language:

50% of 44 questions is 22 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 250

Math:

50% of 48 questions is 24 questions correct.

With a scaled score of 530

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