Before You Test—Introduction
If you plan to take the PSAT/NMSQT at the school you normally attend, your school will register you and let you know if you need to bring your own or a school-issued device or if one will be provided for you on test day. School staff will also provide you with sign-in information that is unique to you.
Before you test, staff at your school will lead you through a digital readiness check, which is how your school will orient you to the functionalities of digital testing. You will have the chance to confirm personal information, review and agree to the Digital PSAT/NMSQT Testing Rules, and make sure your device will work on test day. It is important to confirm your personal information is correct after you log in to the testing application with your sign-in ticket. If your information is incorrect or you received someone else's sign-in ticket, tell school staff immediately.
During these digital readiness activities, you’ll also have the opportunity to answer questions about yourself, your educational experience, and your plans for after you graduate high school. All questions are optional. If any of your answers differ from answers you have us on previous in-school tests, we'll use your latest information.
College Board may use the information you provide:
- To verify your identity;
- To provide you score information;
- To maintain the fairness and validity of our tests;
- For test security purposes;
- For test accommodations purposes;
- On a de-identified basis, for psychometric and educational research purposes, and to maintain, develop, support, improve, and diagnose our services and applications
- To disclose as required by law, when we believe in good faith that it's necessary to protect our rights, protect an individual's safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.
Your high school, school district, and state may receive your responses. Institutions that receive your information are required to keep it confidential and to follow College Board guidelines for using this information.
College Board sends information you provide to our cosponsor, National Merit Scholarship Corporation, for it to consider your eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
If you choose to use the BigFuture® School mobile application, we'll use your information to provide you with educational information and recommendations about college and career options. If you opt in to Connections™, we'll use your information to deliver content from nonprofit colleges, universities, scholarship organizations, and other educational organizations that may be a good fit for you. Note: your school, district, or state may choose to not provide access to Connections for its students.
More information about the BigFuture School app and the Connections feature can be found in Introducing BigFuture School and Connections.
See the Digital PSAT/NMSQT Testing Rules for more information on use and disclosure of the information you may choose to provide.