Semifinalist cutoffs aren't set nationally -- each state draws its own line, and New Hampshire's confirmed Class of 2027 line leads its two northern New England neighbors while trailing the one to its south by a wide margin. Here's exactly where 215 sits.
The number: 215, six points behind Massachusetts
Per Compass Education Group's confirmed reporting, New Hampshire's Class of 2027 Semifinalist cutoff is 215, down 4 points from the Class of 2026. The full state-by-state list shows New Hampshire six points below Massachusetts at 221, one point above Maine at 214, and three points above Vermont at 212.
The high point of northern New England, still trailing the south
New Hampshire's own line clears both of its northern neighbors while sitting well below its southern one:
- 221: Massachusetts -- 6 points above, to the south
- 215 (New Hampshire's line): New Hampshire
- 214: Maine -- 1 point below, to the east
- 212: Vermont -- 3 points below, to the west
The part that surprises people: leading two neighbors, trailing the third by six full points
New Hampshire sits comfortably above Maine and Vermont, but Massachusetts -- also a direct neighbor -- confirms a full six points higher, more than double the combined gap to the other two. 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 -- Boston's much larger, more urban test-taking population produces a very different result than New Hampshire's, even along a shared border.
What this means for you
- Check your Selection Index against 215, not Massachusetts's number. Use the calculator to convert your actual PSAT Reading & Writing and Math scores directly, rather than assuming a score that clears Massachusetts's bar clears New Hampshire'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 New England shares one cutoff. New Hampshire's own three neighbors span a nine-point range, from Vermont's 212 up to Massachusetts's 221.
- If you're weighing a move within New England 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.