Semifinalist cutoffs aren't set nationally -- each state draws its own line, and Minnesota's confirmed Class of 2027 line leads every one of its four direct neighbors. Here's exactly where 214 sits.
The number: 214, the highest in its own neighborhood
Per Compass Education Group's confirmed reporting, Minnesota's Class of 2027 Semifinalist cutoff is 214, down 5 points from the Class of 2026 -- one of the larger single-year declines nationally. The full state-by-state list shows Minnesota two points above Wisconsin at 212, four above Iowa at 210, and six above North Dakota at 208. Minnesota ties exactly with Missouri and Tennessee.
The high point among four bordering states
Minnesota's own line clears all four of its direct neighbors, by margins that widen sharply to the north:
- 214 (Minnesota's line): Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee
- 212: Wisconsin -- 2 points below, to the east
- 210: Iowa, South Dakota -- 4 points below, to the south and west
- 208: North Dakota -- 6 points below, to the northwest
The part that surprises people: a six-point gap to North Dakota, despite a direct shared border
Minnesota and North Dakota share a long, direct border, yet their confirmed cutoffs sit six points apart -- one of the widest 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 -- the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area's much larger, more urban test-taking population produces a very different result than North Dakota's, even along a shared border.
What this means for you
- Check your Selection Index against 214, not Wisconsin's or Iowa'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 Minnesota'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.
- Don't assume the Upper Midwest shares one cutoff. Minnesota's own borders span a six-point range, from North Dakota's 208 up to Minnesota's own 214.
- If you're weighing a move within the Upper Midwest 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.