How to Apply for Alternate Entry

Every step for juniors in 2026–27 entering the 2028 National Merit Scholarship Program, with NMSC's addresses and the deadline.

1. Send the request

   Email: ae@nmerit.net
   Mail: National Merit Scholarship Corporation, Attn: Scholarship Administration, 1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 200, Evanston, IL 60201-4897
   Questions: (847) 866-5100

   Include: your full name and home address; the contact information of the person making the request; your high school's name and complete address; and a brief, factual explanation of why you were unable to take the PSAT/NMSQT.

2. Complete the Alternate Entry application (with your school's signature)

   NMSC replies with an application that confirms your eligibility and lists the SAT administrations it will accept. Your high school principal or counselor must sign it; the request can come from a parent or student, but the school's endorsement is required. Return it promptly. Eligibility is the same as for PSAT entrants: enrolled in high school (homeschool counts), progressing normally toward graduation, planning to enroll in college full time the fall after finishing high school, and a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (or applying) if attending school outside the United States.

   You must not have taken the junior-year PSAT/NMSQT. Alternate Entry is only for students who did not take the test; it cannot replace a score. (A sophomore-year PSAT or PSAT 10 does not affect eligibility.) If your junior-year administration was disrupted, the remedy is to contact NMSC within five days of the test date to have the score removed from consideration.

   Do not skip the PSAT to use Alternate Entry. The PSAT/NMSQT is the only automatic entry point. Alternate Entry needs a reason NMSC accepts, your school's signature, and NMSC's approval, and it holds you to the same cutoff. It is a remedy, not a strategy.

3. Take the SAT on an accepted date

   Any accepted administration in junior year. Accepted dates generally run from August (before junior year) through the June test. You may test more than once; NMSC uses your best single sitting and does not combine sections across dates.

4. Send official scores to NMSC: code 0085

   Order an official score report from College Board to recipient code 0085 (National Merit Scholarship Corporation). NMSC does not accept screenshots or school copies. NMSC has accepted reports as late as mid-October of senior year, but there is no reason to wait: send them the day scores post.

How NMSC scores the SAT for Alternate Entry

NMSC converts each SAT section to the PSAT/NMSQT scale by capping it at 760, then applies the usual formula: (Reading & Writing × 2 + Math) ÷ 10. An 800 in Math counts as 760. So 740 R&W / 800 Math = (1480 + 760) ÷ 10 = 224, not 228. Use the calculator to see every qualifying combination for your state.

Timeline for the 2028 program (Class of 2028)

Application questions