Semifinalist cutoffs aren't set nationally -- each state draws its own line, and Maryland's confirmed Class of 2027 line sits close to the very top, in a tier it now shares with three other states. Here's exactly where 221 ranks, and how thin the gap to first place actually is.

The number: 221, tied with Massachusetts, Virginia, and Washington

Per Compass Education Group's confirmed reporting, Maryland's Class of 2027 Semifinalist cutoff is 221, down 3 points from the Class of 2026's 224. The full state-by-state list shows Maryland tied at that exact number with Massachusetts, Virginia, and Washington state -- four states sharing the same line, one tier below the national high.

Two points behind the national high

Sorting the top of the list from highest to lowest shows exactly how close Maryland sits to first place:

Maryland is two points behind Washington, D.C. -- a jurisdiction it borders directly -- and one point ahead of California, the country's most populous state. Massachusetts, which sat in the top tier alongside New Jersey last cycle, dropped down to join Maryland's tier this year.

The part that surprises people: bordering D.C. doesn't average out the cutoff

It might seem like Maryland, sitting right against Washington, D.C., would either match D.C.'s number exactly or land noticeably below it. Instead it lands two points under -- close, but a genuinely separate calculation. Semifinalist slots are allocated to each state in proportion to its share of the nation's graduating seniors, which is why a small jurisdiction like D.C. and a mid-sized state like Maryland can both post cutoffs near the top of the national list: the cutoff depends on where the top slice of Selection Index scores falls among each place's own PSAT/NMSQT takers, not on population or geographic proximity. Maryland's high cutoff doesn't mean fewer Maryland students get recognized -- it reflects a genuinely dense cluster of strong scorers at the top of Maryland's own distribution.

What this means for you

  • Check your Selection Index against 221, not D.C.'s or Virginia'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 jurisdiction's bar clears Maryland'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 two-point gap to first place is still a real gap. Don't round Maryland's 221 up to "the highest in the country" -- New Jersey and D.C. genuinely sit two points higher.
  • If you're weighing a move across the Maryland-D.C.-Virginia area before junior year, the numbers are close but not identical. Eligibility is based on where you're enrolled at the time of the qualifying PSAT, so a two-point difference can matter on a borderline score.
  • This is one piece of the larger National Merit picture -- see the full breakdown of how National Merit actually works, or how New Jersey's cutoff (223) and California's (220) compare if you're weighing other states.

Sources