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Student Search ServiceOther Notes About ScoresWe occasionally pretest new questions to determineif they should be included in a future PSAT/NMSQTtest form. In such instances, these questions mayappear in any of the test sections, and testing timewill be extended by 20 minutes so test takers havetime to answer them. These questions will not beincluded in computing test takers’ scores. Studentsmust complete all sections of the test. If you leavebefore dismissal, your scores will be canceled.As part of scoring, every test goes through anequating process. Equating is a statistical process weuse to adjust scores from multiple forms of a test sothe reported scores mean the same thing no matterwhich version of the test you take or when you take it.Student Search ServiceThe College Board’s Student Search Service canconnect you with information about educational andfinancial aid opportunities from nearly 1,700 colleges,universities, scholarship programs, and educationalorganizations. Here’s how it works: You may choose to participate in Student SearchService as part of taking the PSAT/NMSQT.There will be a place to choose “Yes” while fillingout your answer sheet before the test. You will be asked to provide information aboutyourself on your answer sheet. You may alsoprovide additional information on the CollegeBoard’s college planning website, BigFuture (bigfuture.org). If you opt in to Student SearchService, participating eligible organizations canuse that information to see whether you might bea good fit for their communities and programs. The most searched items are expected highTaking the PSAT/NMSQTscholarships, and special activities. StudentSearch Service is simply a way for colleges toreach prospective students like you and provideinformation about available opportunities. Student Search Service will share your contactinformation only with colleges and qualifiednonprofit educational or scholarship programsthat are recruiting students. The College Boarddoes not share this information with marketingfirms, test prep companies, or other retailers/commercial entities.Student Search Service communications aresent by outside colleges, scholarship programs,and educational opportunity organizations. See“Privacy and Safety” later in this section to learn howwe protect your privacy.If you have questions or concerns about StudentSearch Service or want more information aboutthe program, please go to collegeboard.org/student-search-service or call 866-825-8051.Scholarships andOpportunitiesYou already know that taking the PSAT/NMSQTcan enter you into the National Merit ScholarshipProgram. But do you know about the otheropportunities available to you by taking the test?If you take the PSAT/NMSQT as a junior and qualifyfor participation, the following programs may helpyou prepare for college. If you do not want your name,scores, and other information released to them, writeto the PSAT/NMSQT office by October 31, 2018 (seeinside cover for address). The National Hispanic Recognition Program The search criteria can include any response(NHRP) identifies outstanding Hispanic/Latinostudents and shares information about themwith interested colleges and universities. Tobe eligible, you must be at least one-quarterHispanic/Latino (as defined by the NHRP), meeta minimum PSAT/NMSQT cutoff score for yourstate, and have a minimum grade point average.Keep the following points in mind about StudentSearch Service:The College BoardNational Hispanic Recognition Program250 Vesey StreetNew York, NY 10281-6992877-358-6777school graduation date, cumulative grade pointaverage (GPA), and intended college major.from the answer sheet and any information thatyou provide on bigfuture.org. However, wenever share phone numbers, actual test scores,or information about disabilities or parentaleducation. Being contacted by a college does not meanyou have been admitted. You need to submitan application in order to be considered foradmission. The colleges and organizations thatparticipate want to find students who might be agood fit for their environment, classes, programs, The National Scholarship Service (NSS) offersa free college advisory and referral service forstudents who plan to attend two-year or fouryear colleges. Scores will be sent for juniors who2018 PSAT/NMSQTStudent Guide3

Taking the PSAT/NMSQT Students with Disabilitiesindicate on their answer sheets that they areAfrican American or black.National Scholarship Service980 Martin Luther King Drive SWP.O. Box 11409Atlanta, GA 30310 Telluride Association is a program offeringsummer seminars in the humanities and socialsciences to highly gifted juniors.Telluride Association217 West AvenueIthaca, NY 14850607-273-5011The College Board also partners with several otherscholarship providers, connecting eligible students toover 220 million in scholarships. Help them find youby opting in to Student Search Service (see previouspage) when you take the PSAT/NMSQT.Our Scholarship PartnersThe following organizations are scholarship partnersas of April 2018; please check psat.org/scholarshipsfor updates. American Indian Graduate Center (aigcs.org) Asian & Pacific Islander American ScholarshipFund (apiasf.org) Cobell Scholarship (cobellscholar.org)Daniel’s Fund (danielsfund.org)Hispanic Scholarship Fund (hsf.net)Horatio Alger Association (horatioalger.org)Jack Kent Cooke Foundation (jkcf.org)Jackie Robinson Foundation (jackierobinson.org)Ron Brown Scholar Program (ronbrown.org)TheDream.US (thedream.us)United Negro College Fund (uncf.org)Washington State Opportunity Scholarship(waopportunityscholarship.org)How It WorksWhen you take the PSAT/NMSQT or the PSAT 10and say “yes” to the free Student Search Service, theCollege Board connects you with our scholarshippartners, which could mean money for college. It isultimately up to you to decide whether you want toapply to the scholarship program.Our scholarship partners use PSAT/NMSQTand PSAT 10 information to identify and recruitstudents who opted in to Student Search Service,and want to be connected with potential scholarship42018 PSAT/NMSQTStudent Guideopportunities. These scholarship partners can searchby the demographic information that you provide onthe answer sheet to meet their criteria for eligibility.For example, you may identify with more than onerace/ethnicity, which increases your eligibility formultiple programs. For instance, if you list Hispanicand black on the answer sheet it may increase youreligibility for multiple programs. You may now hearfrom the National Hispanic Recognition Program,Hispanic Scholarship Fund, The Jackie RobinsonFoundation, or United Negro College Fund, amongothers. However, information regarding disability,phone number, or actual test score is never shared.To learn more about scholarship opportunities, pleasevisit psat.org/scholarships.Students with DisabilitiesFor students with disabilities, the College Boardprovides testing accommodations such as brailleand large-print test books and extended timeoptions. If you have a disability and have notalready been approved for accommodations by theCollege Board, speak to your counselor or teacherright away to determine whether a request foraccommodations should be submitted. If so, yourschool’s SSD coordinator can help you request theaccommodations that meet your needs. (Epinephrineauto-injectors [e.g., EpiPens] are permitted in thetesting room without the need for accommodations.They must be placed in a clear bag and stored underthe student’s desk during testing.) After the accommodations request has beensubmitted, it may take up to seven weeks for youto receive a decision letter. If you are approved foraccommodations, save this letter because it alsoindicates your eligibility for accommodationson other College Board tests, such as the SATand Advanced Placement Program (AP) Exams.With limited exceptions, the accommodationswill remain in effect until one year after yourgraduation. If you move to a new school, ask yourcounselor at your new school to transfer yourSSD online record. If you are interested in participating in theNational Merit Scholarship Program and didnot receive accommodations for which you wereapproved or did not receive approval in time forthe test, please contact NMSC immediately butno later than November 15, 2018 (see insidecover for contact information).Practice tests in MP3 audio and assistive technologycompatible formats are available on the College

Test Regulations Taking the PSAT/NMSQTBoard’s website at collegeboard.org/psatpractice. Ifyou are approved for another format, such as braille,a practice test may be sent to your school, or youcan call 212-713-8333 to request a practice test in aspecific format.Test RegulationsWhen you take the test, you will be asked to signa certification statement indicating that you willabide by the test guidelines and regulations. Thoseguidelines are detailed in this Student Guide,so please read it carefully. Standard rules andregulations give all students the same opportunityand prevent any student from having an unfairadvantage. If you do not follow these test regulationsor any instructions given by the test, your scoresmay be canceled. You can read more about groundsfor score cancellation in the next section. Thefollowing policies apply to all students, unless theCollege Board has approved an exception as anaccommodation for a disability: You must mark your answers on the answer sheet.You will not receive credit for anything written inthe test book. Scratch paper is not allowed; youmay use only your test book for scratch work. You may not leave the room with your test book. You may use an acceptable calculator (see“Acceptable Calculators” on page 27) only duringthe Math Test – Calculator portion of thePSAT/NMSQT. You may not have a calculator onyour desk for any other part of the test, and youmay not share a calculator during the test or duringbreaks. You may use only one calculator at anygiven time—if you bring a second one for backup,it must be kept under your desk. You are not allowed to use protractors;compasses; rulers; cutting devices; earplugs;scratch paper; notes, books, dictionaries,or references of any kind; pamphlets; pens,mechanical pencils, highlighters, or coloredpencils; listening, recording, copying, orphotographic devices; or any other aids. You may bring snacks or drinks to have duringa break. They must be placed under your deskduring testing. You may not use phones or other prohibitedelectronic devices during the test or breaks.Prohibited devices include, but are not limited tophones; audio players/recorders, tablets, laptops,notebooks, or any other personal computingdevices; timers; cameras; and any devices(including smartwatches) that can be used torecord, transmit, receive, or play back audio,photographic, text, or video content. These devicesmust be powered off and placed under your desk,unless they are collected by your school before thetest. If your watch has an alarm, you must turn thatoff as well. If your phone makes noise, or you areseen using it at any time (including breaks), youwill be dismissed immediately, your scores will becanceled, and the device may be collected and itscontents inspected. You may not give or receive assistance or disturbothers during the test or breaks. You cannot skip ahead or go back to a previoustest section while taking the test. You may take the PSAT/NMSQT only onceeach school year. If you begin a test, you areconsidered to have taken it. All students in your school must take the test atthe same time. (Exceptions may be approved forstudents with disabilities.) If you become ill or must leave during the test, orif for any other reason you do not want your testscored, you may ask the proctor or test coordinatorto withdraw your answer sheet from scoringbefore you leave the testing room. After you leavethe testing room, if you decide to withdraw youranswer sheet from scoring you must report yourdecision immediately to the test coordinator orthe PSAT/NMSQT office. (See the inside cover forcontact information.) Members of your household or immediate familymay not serve as PSAT/NMSQT coordinators orproctors, even at a different school, during theyear that you take the test. You may not discuss the contents of the testwith anyone, or share them through anymeans, including but not limited to emails, textmessages, and the internet, until after scorereports have been distributed.Grounds for Score CancellationTo report scores that accurately reflect performance,E T S, on behalf of the College Board and NMSC,maintains test administration and security standardsdesigned to give all students the same opportunity todemonstrate their abilities and to prevent any studentfrom gaining an unfair advantage. E T S reviewsirregularities and test scores believed to have beenearned under unusual circumstances. Students may be dismissed from the testingroom if they fail to follow test regulationsor instructions given by the proctor or testcoordinator. E T S reserves the right not to score2018 PSAT/NMSQTStudent Guide5

Taking the PSAT/NMSQT Privacy and Safetythe answer sheet of a student who engagedin misconduct or was involved in a testingirregularity. E T S reserves the right to cancel scores if thereis reason to doubt their validity. Before acting,E T S will inform the student of the reasons forquestioning the scores and will give the studentan opportunity to provide additional information,to confirm the scores by taking anotherPSAT/NMSQT, or to cancel the scores. Thestudent may also request arbitration in accordancewith E T S’s Standard Arbitration Agreement. Ifbefore, during, or after a review of questionablescores, E T S finds that misconduct has occurredin connection with a test, these options will not beavailable even if previously offered. In some instances, scores may be issued forguidance purposes only. This means that thetest was not administered in accordance withtesting policies described in the PSAT/NMSQTCoordinator Manual. Therefore, the resultingscores cannot be considered for some scholarshipcompetitions. When scores are provided forguidance purposes only, a message will appearbelow the NMSC Selection Index score on yourscore report directing you to follow up with thetest coordinator at your school to learn moreabout the reason for the “guidance purposesonly” report. Students who are otherwise eligibleand who are interested in entering the NationalMerit Scholarship Program should turn to page7 of the National Merit Scholarship Programportion of this guide to learn how to requestinformation about another route of entry to the2020 competition. Score reviews are confidential. If it is necessaryto cancel reported scores, E TS will notify scoreusers, but the reasons for cancellation will not bedisclosed. This policy does not necessarily applyin group cases. ETS will forward all reports of misconduct ortesting irregularities to NMSC, which reservesthe right to make its own independent judgmentabout a student’s participation in the NationalMerit Scholarship Program.Privacy and SafetyUse and Distribution of Scoresand Student InformationWhen you take the PSAT/NMSQT and sign the answersheet, you acknowledge that you understand how yourscores and personal information will be used.62018 PSAT/NMSQTStudent GuideAs cosponsors of the PSAT/NMSQT, the CollegeBoard and NMSC receive the scores of students whotake the test as well as the information that studentsprovide on their answer sheets.Some schools, districts, and states receivePSAT/NMSQT scores with other information abouttheir students. In addition, scores for studentswho qualify for programs described in the section“Scholarships and Opportunities” (page 3) are givento those programs. The PSAT/NMSQT Program doesnot report scores to colleges or commercial entities.If your school participates in the PSAT/NMSQTthrough a bulk registration process, the College Boardmay receive your personal information, includingfirst name, last name, sex, date of birth, mailingaddress, email address, and mobile phone number,from your school. This information will be kept secureand added to your permanent College Board recordto be used for score reporting purposes as well asthe other purposes outlined in this guide. By takingthe PSAT/NMSQT and signing the answer sheet,you acknowledge that your school has provided thisinformation to the College Board and that you consentto the College Board retaining this information.Student Search Service andProtecting Your PrivacyColleges participating in Student Search Servicenever receive student scores or phone numbers.Colleges can ask for names of students within certainscore ranges, but their exact scores are not reported.All entities that receive student information fromStudent Search Service are required to maintain strictconfidentiality. We actively monitor these entities toensure adherence to our guidelines. The frequencyand mode of communications based on search resultsare determined by the entity that receives the student’sname. Every communication from individual entitiesis required to contain specific instructions on howto unsubscribe from that particular institution. Tounsubscribe from the entire Student Search Serviceprogram, go to collegeboard.org/student-search-service, call 866-825-8051, or write to:The College Board11955 Democracy DriveReston, VA 20190-5662Attention: Student Search Service

Test Fairness ReviewTelemarketing and Internet ScamsWe sometimes receive reports of phone scams whencallers posing as employees of the College Board tryto sell test-preparation products or request sensitive,personally identifying information, such as creditcard and Social Security numbers. The CollegeBoard does not make unsolicited phone calls orsend emails to students or families requesting thistype of information. This type of activity, known astelemarketing fraud, is a crime. Should you have aquestion about the origin of a phone call you havereceived in which the caller claimed to be from theCollege Board, contact the PSAT/NMSQT office (seeinside cover for contact information).Test Fairness ReviewAll new PSAT/NMSQT test questions and completenew editions of the tests are reviewed by external,independent educators from throughout the UnitedStates. These reviews help ensure that the questionsare unambiguous and relevant and that the languageused is not offensive to or inappropriatefor any particular group of students based onrace/ethnicity or gender. Assessment staff ensurethat the test as a whole includes references to menand women as well as to individuals from variedracial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. Statisticalprocedures are used to identify questions that areharder for a group of students to answer correctlythan would be expected from their performanceon other questions in the test; these questions areexcluded from appearing on tests.Questioning a Test QuestionIf you find what you consider to be an error or anambiguity in a test question, tell the test coordinatorimmediately after the test. You may also write to:Assessment Design and DevelopmentThe College Board250 Vesey StreetNew York, NY 10281Or send an email to psatquestion@collegeboard.org.In your inquiry, provide your name and mailingaddress, the date you took the PSAT/NMSQT, thename and address of the school where you took thetest, the test section, the test question (as well as youcan remember), and an explanation of your concernabout the question.Taking the PSAT/NMSQTThe PSAT/NMSQT Program will send you a writtenresponse after your inquiry

the PSAT/NMSQT office if you have suggestions, questions, or comments about test registration, administration, or score reports. If you wish to withdraw your answer sheet from scoring, or if you wish to report test administration irregularities, you must notify the test coordinator or the PSAT/NMSQT office immediately.