Semifinalist cutoffs aren't set nationally -- each state draws its own line, and Louisiana's confirmed Class of 2027 line matches its eastern neighbor to the exact point. Here's exactly where 211 sits.
The number: 211, tied with Mississippi
Per Compass Education Group's confirmed reporting, Louisiana's Class of 2027 Semifinalist cutoff is 211, down 5 points from the Class of 2026 -- one of the larger single-year declines nationally. The full state-by-state list shows Louisiana tied at that exact number with Mississippi, and one point above Arkansas at 210.
An exact tie to the east, a real gap to the west
Louisiana's own line matches one direct neighbor exactly while sitting well below another:
- 219: Texas -- 8 points above, to the west
- 211 (Louisiana's line): Louisiana, Mississippi -- an exact match, to the east
- 210: Arkansas -- 1 point below, to the north
The part that surprises people: an eight-point gap to Texas, despite a shared border
Louisiana and Texas share a direct border along the Sabine River, yet their confirmed cutoffs sit eight points apart -- among the wider gaps between two adjacent states covered here. Semifinalist slots are allocated to each state in proportion to its share of the nation's graduating seniors, a separate calculation from the cutoff score. The cutoff itself depends entirely on where the top slice of Selection Index scores lands among each state's own PSAT/NMSQT takers that year -- Texas's much larger, more urban test-taking population produces a very different result than Louisiana's, even along a shared border.
What this means for you
- Check your Selection Index against 211, not Texas's or Arkansas's number. Use the calculator to convert your actual PSAT Reading & Writing and Math scores directly, rather than assuming a score that clears a neighboring state's bar clears Louisiana's too.
- This is the confirmed, official cutoff, not a projection. NMSC announced Class of 2027 Semifinalists nationally on September 9, 2026, and Compass Education Group's number reflects real qualifying and non-qualifying score reports.
- A one-point gap to Arkansas is close enough to matter. A single Selection Index point separates Louisiana's line from its northern neighbor's.
- If you're weighing a move within the Gulf South before junior year, check both states' specific lines. Eligibility is based on where you're enrolled at the time of the qualifying PSAT, not where you grew up.
- This is one piece of the larger National Merit picture -- see the full breakdown of how National Merit actually works for how the cutoff fits into the whole Commended-to-Scholar process.