SAT Suite
4 Ways to Make the Most of Your PSAT 8/9 and PSAT 10 Scores
If you took the PSAT™ 10 or PSAT™ 8/9 in school, you’re not alone. Every year, students like you across the country take these tests. You may be asking, ”Now what?” You may not realize the importance of your PSAT 10 or PSAT 8/9 scores. Keep reading to learn what these scores can do for you as you continue your high school journey and plan for college, career, and beyond.
PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 Score Release
One of the first steps is to view your scores and understand what they mean. Scores are released on a rolling basis depending on when you took the test. When your score is released, you’ll get a copy of it from your school. If you took the PSAT 10, you’ll also get direct access to your score report in the BigFuture® School mobile app.
Your score report shows your total score, section scores for the Reading and Writing and Math sections, the range of how much your scores may vary if you took a different administration of the test under identical conditions, and percentile comparisons to different groups of test takers. You’ll also see the knowledge and skills you’re doing well in and those that need more work.
As always, students who are 13 and older and have a personal College Board account can also access this same information online to view questions associated to each skill in their score report. They can also view section benchmarks that show readiness for the SAT® and resources to see which skills to focus on.
Learn more about how your scores are calculated and what they mean:
There’s no “good” PSAT 8/9 or PSAT 10 score. The tests should be used as a benchmark to see how you’re doing in high school. Plus, they can help you gauge your strengths and areas of improvement as you prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT® and eventually the SAT. You can think of your score as a check-in or performance snapshot to help you stay on track in high school and as you plan for college.
1. Improving Your Skills and Finding New Classes to Take
High school courses can be challenging. Taking classes you excel at in subjects that interest you can be rewarding and can improve your grades and help you prepare for college and career. Your PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 scores can tell you what subjects and skills you excel in and which you need to work on. You can make smart decisions about which classes to take in high school.
2. Get Matched to AP Courses
Your PSAT 10 or PSAT 8/9 score report will provide you with information about which AP® courses you’re likely to do well in. In your personalized view of AP Potential™, you’ll see which courses are offered at your school and which classes match a future major that may interest you. AP courses are a perfect way to prepare for college and help you stand out when you’re applying. And, you can get college credit, advanced placement, or both for AP classes, which saves you money on tuition. Talk to a teacher or counselor to help you decide which courses are right for you.
3. Learn About Scholarship Opportunities
Did you know when you take the PSAT 10 you might qualify for scholarships? Our scholarship partners use the PSAT 10 to find students qualified to apply for their programs. See available scholarships and how their providers use the PSAT 10 to find students like you.
4. Discover Career Insights
Your scores report will help you jump-start your future planning, and they’ll give you insights about skills related to career options. As you think about your career goals and what you’ll do after high school, you’ll begin uncovering what you like, your skills, the opportunities available to you, and the steps you need to take to reach your goals. To help you consider your options, we’ve included Career Insights Snapshots on your score report.
Give yourself a big thumbs-up for taking the PSAT 8/9 or PSAT 10 and kick-starting your college and career planning process! Good luck on the road to your future after high school. Remember to take advantage of all the great tools and resources your scores give you access to.
