Semifinalist cutoffs aren't set nationally -- each state draws its own line, and Tennessee's confirmed Class of 2027 line sits below every state that borders it to the east. Here's exactly where 214 sits.
The number: 214, trailing three of its own neighbors
Per Compass Education Group's confirmed reporting, Tennessee'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 Tennessee three points below both Georgia and North Carolina (tied at 217), and seven points below Virginia at 221.
Bordering eight states, trailing three of the closest ones
Tennessee shares a border with eight states -- tied with Missouri for the most of any state in the country -- and its own line trails the ones it's closest to on the east side:
- 221: Virginia -- seven points above, to the northeast
- 217: Georgia, North Carolina -- three points above, to the southeast and east
- 214 (Tennessee's line): Tennessee
- 211: Kentucky, Mississippi -- three points below, to the north and south
- 210: Alabama, Arkansas -- four points below, to the south and west
The part that surprises people: a seven-point gap to one neighbor, a three-point cushion over two others
Tennessee sits in the middle of its own regional pack -- clearly behind Virginia, Georgia, and North Carolina to its east, but ahead of Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas on its other borders. 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 -- bordering eight states means Tennessee's cutoff gets compared against an unusually wide range of neighbors, none of which shares its exact number this cycle.
What this means for you
- Check your Selection Index against 214, not Georgia's, North Carolina'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 state's bar clears Tennessee'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 Tennessee's cutoff sits at the regional average. It trails its eastern neighbors by 3-7 points while sitting ahead of its northern, southern, and western ones -- there's no single "Southeast" number.
- If you're weighing a move within the Mid-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.