Semifinalist cutoffs aren't set nationally -- each state draws its own line, and Nebraska's confirmed Class of 2027 line matches one direct neighbor exactly while sitting an even two points from two others. Here's exactly where 212 sits.
The number: 212, tied with Kansas
Per Compass Education Group's confirmed reporting, Nebraska's Class of 2027 Semifinalist cutoff is 212, down 2 points from the Class of 2026 -- one of the smaller declines nationally. The full state-by-state list shows Nebraska tied at that exact number with Kansas and South Carolina.
An exact tie to the south, even two-point gaps on both other sides
Nebraska's own line sits between two of its direct neighbors, matching a third exactly:
- 217: Colorado -- 5 points above, to the west
- 214: Missouri -- 2 points above, to the southeast
- 212 (Nebraska's line): Nebraska, Kansas -- an exact match, to the south
- 210: Iowa -- 2 points below, to the east
The part that surprises people: an identical two-point gap on both flanks, but in opposite directions
Nebraska sits exactly two points below Missouri and exactly two points above Iowa -- a symmetric spread that makes Nebraska look like the midpoint of the two, even though its own number is set entirely independently of either. 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 symmetry here is a coincidence of three independent state-level score distributions, not evidence that Nebraska's line was calculated relative to its neighbors'.
What this means for you
- Check your Selection Index against 212, not Iowa's or Missouri'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 Nebraska'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 read the symmetric gap to Iowa and Missouri as a pattern. It's a coincidence of this year's independent score distributions, not a rule that would predict next cycle's numbers.
- If you're weighing a move within the Plains 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.