The Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) is giving every 11th grader a free PSAT/NMSQT at school this October. Portola High School tests on October 5 and Woodbridge High School on October 19. This sitting is the only way into the 2028 National Merit Scholarship Program.

What happened

The PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) is offered by College Board and serves as the qualifying test for the program run by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). College Board’s fall 2026 in-school testing window runs from October 1 to October 30, and each school picks its date inside that window.

University High School’s counseling page describes the district plan: IUSD provides a free PSAT/NMSQT to all juniors, a free PSAT 8/9 to all freshmen, and a free PreACT to all 10th graders. The same page notes that colleges do not see PSAT/NMSQT scores.

What it means for Irvine families

For juniors, the test does two jobs. It is timed SAT practice, and it is the entry to National Merit. Practice comes around every year; the scholarship entry does not. NMSC states that the 2026 PSAT/NMSQT is the qualifying test for the 2028 program and must be taken no later than the third year of grades 9 through 12. PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 scores are not considered.

For 9th and 10th graders, the test is a baseline and has no bearing on scholarship eligibility.

Test dates at Irvine high schools

The table reflects each school’s online calendar as of September 29, 2026. Calendars are worded differently; the school’s own notice is final.

School Date Calendar entry
Portola High School October 5, 2026 Grades 9–11 testing, 8:00 a.m. to 12:40 p.m., minimum day
Irvine High School October 15, 2026 Testing schedule with minimum day, 8:30 to 12:55, all students must attend
Woodbridge High School October 19, 2026 PSAT/PreACT testing day with a unique testing schedule
University High School October 21, 2026 Senior activity day and college testing, schedule to follow
Northwood High School Not yet listed Confirm with the counseling office

Portola High School’s event page says students report to advisement first. Freshmen take the PSAT 8/9, sophomores the PreACT, and juniors the PSAT/NMSQT, all at no cost.

Format and score release

The PSAT/NMSQT is a digital test lasting 2 hours and 14 minutes:

Section Time Questions
Reading and Writing 64 minutes 54
Math 70 minutes 44
Total 134 minutes 98

Score release depends on when the school submits answers:

Answers submitted Scores available to students
By October 9, 2026 October 22, 2026
By October 23, 2026 November 5, 2026
By October 30, 2026 November 12, 2026

How National Merit selection works

NMSC screens entrants with the Selection Index: double the Reading and Writing section score, add the Math section score, and divide by 10. Reading and Writing therefore counts twice as much as Math.

NMSC’s projections for the 2028 program:

  • About 3.5 million students will take the 2026 PSAT/NMSQT, and about 1.2 million will meet entry requirements.
  • In September 2027, about 34,000 high scorers will be named Commended Students. They do not continue in the National Merit competition, though some may become candidates for corporate-sponsored Special Scholarships, notified in November 2027.
  • In September 2027, more than 16,000 students, under 1% of the nation’s graduating seniors, will be named Semifinalists. Only Semifinalists can advance.
  • About 95% of Semifinalists, over 15,000 students, are expected to become Finalists.

Semifinalists are allocated by state, in proportion to each state’s share of graduating seniors. The qualifying score is wherever a state’s allocation fills, so it differs by state and by year. California students compete only against California students.

To advance to Finalist, a Semifinalist must have a consistently very high academic record in grades 9 through 12, be endorsed by the principal, complete the scholarship application including an essay, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm the PSAT/NMSQT performance.

Two things to get right on test day

Answer the entry questions correctly. During exam setup, students are asked whether they are enrolled in high school, when they will finish high school and enroll full-time in college, and how many years they will spend in grades 9–12. The NMSC section of the score report shows the answers and whether the Selection Index counts. Corrections go through NMSC’s online form, and all updates for the 2028 program must be submitted by October 15, 2027.

Student Search Service is optional. Portola High School notes that students may opt in during digital exam setup. The service connects students with nonprofit colleges and scholarship organizations. Declining has no effect on scores.

EDUBUS recommendations

First, confirm your school’s date. The five calendars run from October 5 to October 21, and Northwood High School has not posted one yet.

Second, weight preparation toward Reading and Writing, which counts double in the Selection Index. With under four weeks left, focus on official College Board digital practice rather than new material.

Third, treat the PSAT/NMSQT report as the start of SAT planning. Finalists need a confirming SAT or ACT score, and the section scores released in November help decide whether a spring SAT makes sense. See SAT Prep for EDUBUS’s course and the Irvine Unified guide for school-by-school planning information.

Sources

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