How Much You Need to Improve to Maintain Your Percentile Rank

DOWNLOAD A PDF OF THIS POST When students receive their PSAT and SAT scores, they often want to put those scores into context. One way to look at the context of your scores is through percentiles. College Board provides two types of percentile ranks: National Representative Sample and User. The User Percentile presents a more accurate picture of how a student compares to other college-bound students—it also requires a bit of digging to find. The User Percentile appears on students online reports. Percentiles reflect the percentage of students at or below each score.  In order to maintain a percentile rank achieved on the sophomore PSAT, a student must increase subsequent scores. For instance, 1140 on the PSAT in 10th grade would place a student in the 86th percentile, but to maintain that position, the student would need to achieve 1240 on the junior PSAT and 1290 on the SAT—an increase of 150 points. The 86th percentile means that 14% of students performed better than the student.  If this student wanted to cut that percentage in half, ultimately ranking in the 93rd percentile, she would need to achieve 1380 on the SAT—a 240-point increase from the 10th  grade PSAT. The following table is designed to allow you to track user percentiles and scores from sophomore  PSAT to the SAT.   Percentile10th Grade PSAT 11th Grade PSATSATPercentile 99+1440–15201490–15201550–160099+ 991370–14301460–14801500–154099 981320–13601430–14501470–149098 971290–13101400–14201450–146097 961270–12801380–13901430–144096 951250–12601360–13701410–142095 941230–12401340–13501390–140094 931210–12201320–1330138093 92120013101360–137092 9111901290–1300135091 9011801280134090 8911701270133089 88116012601310–132088 8711501250130087 8611401240129086 8511301220129085 8411201220128084 8311101210127083 8211101200126082 8111001190125081 8010901190124080 7910801170123079 7810801170122078 7710701160122077 7610601160121076 7510601150121075 7410501140120074 7310501140119073 7210401130118072 7110301120118071 7010301120117070 6910201110117069 6810201110116068 6710101100115067 6610001100115066 6510001090114065 649901080114064 639901080113063 629801070112062 619801070112061 609701060111060 599701060111059 589601050110058 579601050110057 569501040109056 559501040109055 549401030108054 539301030108053 529301020107052 519201010106051 509201010106050 499101000105049 489101000105048 47900990104047 46900990104046 45890980103045 44890980103044 43880970102043 42880970102042 41870960101041 40870960101040 39870950100039 38860940100038 3785093099037 3685093098036 3584092098035 3484092097034 3384092097033 3283091096032 3183090095031 3082090095030 2982089094029 2881089094028 2781088093027 2680087092026 2580087092025 2479086091024 2379085090023 2278085090022 2178084089021 2077083088020 1977083088019 1876082087018 1776081086017 1675081086016 1575080085015 1474079084014 1374079083013 1273078082012 1173077081011 1072076080010 97107507909 87107407808 77007307707 66907207606 56807107505 4660–670700730–7404 3650680–690710–7203 2620–640650–670690–7002 1550–610590–640640–6801 1-320–540320–580400–6301- SOURCES: College Board, SAT Understanding Scores 2018 and PSAT/NSMQT Understanding Scores 2018.