Semifinalist cutoffs aren't set nationally -- each state draws its own line, and Mississippi's confirmed Class of 2027 line edges out two direct neighbors by the same single point while trailing a third by a wider margin. Here's exactly where 211 sits.
The number: 211, one point above two neighbors
Per Compass Education Group's confirmed reporting, Mississippi's Class of 2027 Semifinalist cutoff is 211, down 2 points from the Class of 2026 -- one of the smaller declines nationally. The full state-by-state list shows Mississippi one point above both Alabama and Arkansas, and three points below Tennessee at 214.
A single point ahead on two sides, a real gap on the third
Mississippi's own line clears two of its neighbors by the smallest possible margin, while trailing the third by more:
- 214: Tennessee -- 3 points above, to the north
- 211 (Mississippi's line): Mississippi
- 210: Alabama -- 1 point below, to the east
- 210: Arkansas -- 1 point below, to the west
The part that surprises people: the same one-point edge on two different sides of the state
Mississippi clears both Alabama to its east and Arkansas to its west by the exact same single point -- a tight, symmetric margin on two borders that don't otherwise have anything in common. 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 -- a one-point edge is close enough that it could easily flip in either direction next cycle, and doesn't reflect any structural advantage for Mississippi's applicant pool.
What this means for you
- Check your Selection Index against 211, not Alabama'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 Mississippi'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 is close enough to matter. A single Selection Index point separates Mississippi's line from both Alabama's and Arkansas's.
- If you're weighing a move within the Deep 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.