PSAT Pre-Survey Information

About the PSAT

Each October, Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade students take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT). Ninth grade students take the PSAT 8/9, which is specifically designed for eighth and ninth graders. Tenth and eleventh graders take the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).  The PSAT is an assessment product of the College Board. Click here to learn more about the PSAT.

Pre-Survey Opt-Out

At the beginning of the PSAT, students are administered a voluntary pre-survey that asks questions about a variety of topics. Student participation in this pre-survey is not required to take the test. Parents and guardians may opt-out of having their students complete the pre-survey portion of the PSAT. When choosing to opt-out, it is important to communicate this decision to the student so he or she knows not to answer pre-survey questions. 

Purpose of Pre-Survey

The Digital PSAT 8/9 Student Questionnaire is designed by the College Board to help connect students with educational access organizations, such as the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program, the Jackie Robinson Foundation, United Negro College Fund, and Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Answers to these questions may be shared with educational access organizations to provide you with information about educational opportunities, extracurricular activities, outreach programs, and financial aid. The College Board strongly recommends that students answer all pre-survey questions, because the answers:

  • Guide school counselors in helping students plan their future. 

  • Help the College Board ensure that the PSAT assessments are fair and accurate for all students. 

The PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) pre-survey questions (#15-23) are designed by the College Board to help connect students with colleges and additional scholarship opportunities. Through Student Search Service, answers to these questions may be shared with nonprofit educational organizations. The College Board strongly recommends that students answer all pre-survey questions, because the answers:

  • Guide school counselors in helping students plan their future. 

  • Help the College Board ensure that the PSAT assessments are fair and accurate for all students. 

PSAT Confidentiality

The College Board may send responses to some questions to a student's middle/high school, their school division, and the state. Institutions that receive a student's PSAT/NMSQT information are required to keep it confidential and to follow College Board guidelines for using information.

Previewing Questions

Parents and guardians may preview the pre-survey question content and instructions to aid in their decision on whether to opt-out. Parents and guardians who choose to opt-out from pre-survey participation for their students should complete and return the opt-out form to the school by early October.

The PSAT pre-survey questions and description of purpose are copyright of the College Board and are used here with permission.

Digital PSAT 8/9 Student Questionnaire Instructions

Question 3: Email Address

Email address is optional. If you have already created your College Board account, use the email address you used when creating your account. If you decide to provide an email address, indicate whether  the email address is yours or a parent’s/guardian’s.  College Board may contact the owner of this address, if they are over the age of 13, about College Board programs. Your email address will also be included in  your Student Search Service™ record if you opted in  to this service. 

This email address is

  • Mine.

  • A Parent’s/Guardian’s.

Question 4: Mobile Number

This field is optional. Get registration reminders, college planning information, research survey invitations, and other marketing text messages related to College Board programs sent via an automated dialing service. Standard messaging and data rates may apply.

Question 5: Racial/Ethnic Group

These fields are optional. Please answer these questions about Hispanic origin and about race. For these questions, Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origins are separate from race.

●Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin? (You may mark all that apply.)

  • No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.

    • Yes, Cuban.

    • Yes, Mexican.

    • Yes, Puerto Rican.

    • Yes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.

    • I don’t wish to respond.

●What is your race? (You may mark all that apply.)

  • American Indian or Alaska Native.

    • Asian (including Indian subcontinent and Philippines origin).

    • Black or African American (including African and Afro-Caribbean origin).

    • Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.

    • White (including Middle Eastern origin).

    • I don’t wish to respond.

Question 6: Languages Background

These fields are optional. Please answer both questions about your language background.

●What language did you learn to speak first?  (Mark only one.)

  • English.

  • English and another language.

  • Another language.

  • I don’t wish to respond.

●What language do you know best? (Mark only one.)

  • English.

  • English and another language.

  • Another language.

  • I don’t wish to respond. 

Question 7: Military Relation

This field is optional.

●Please indicate if you have a parent or guardian in the military. (Mark all that apply.)

  • I have a parent/guardian who is on active duty in the U.S. military.

  • I have a parent/guardian who is in the National Guard or the Reserves.

  • I have a parent/guardian who was in the U.S. military but is not serving now.

  • Neither of my parents/guardians has a current military connection.

Question 8: Grade Point Average

This field is optional.

●Please indicate your cumulative grade point average for all academic subjects in middle or high school. If you don’t know your exact grade point average, give your best estimate.

  • A+ (97–100)

  • A (93–96)

  • A– (90–92)

  • B+ (87–89)

  • B (83–86)

  • B– (80–82)

  • C+ (77–79)

  • C (73–76)

  • C– (70–72)

  • D+ (67–69)

  • D (65–66)

  • E or F (below 65)

  • I don’t wish to respond

PSAT NMSQT Pre-Survey Questions

Pre-Survey Questions and Instructions (#15-23)

Question 15: Mobile Number

This field is optional. If provided, you agree to receive text messages from College Board about test programs for which you are registered, about participating in research surveys, and/or about receiving free college planning services.

Question 16: Student Search Service

Student Search Service is a free, voluntary program that connects students with information about educational and financial aid opportunities from eligible colleges, universities, scholarships, and other educational programs. These organizations pay to participate in the service, but it’s free to you. When you opt in to Student Search Service, the information that you have provided on your answer sheet, score ranges from your College Board exams, and information you provide on the College Board website may be shared with colleges, universities, and scholarships that are interested in students like you. This includes your responses on the answer sheet to Questions 17, 19, 22, and 23. Participating organizations may use this information to contact you via email and postal mail about their educational and scholarship opportunities. College Board does not share your telephone number or actual test score as part of this service. To opt in to Student Search Service, please mark “Yes” on your answer sheet. Would you like us to supply your information for these purposes? If you leave Question 16 blank and have previously opted to participate in Student Search Service, we will continue providing your information until you opt out. 

  • Yes

  • No

Question 17: Racial/Ethnic Group

If you have a personalized label on your answer sheet that includes this information, please review and confirm that the information is correct. If you believe there is an error, you can update your answer sheet with the correct information. Answer both questions about Hispanic origin and about race. For these questions, Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origins are separate from race.

A. Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin? (You may mark all that apply.)

  • No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin

  • Yes, Cuban

  • Yes, Mexican

  • Yes, Puerto Rican

  • Yes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin

B. What is your race? (You may mark all that apply.)

  • American Indian or Alaska Native

  • Asian (including Indian subcontinent and Philippines origin)

  • Black or African American (including African and Afro-Caribbean origin)

  • Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

  • White (including Middle Eastern origin)

Question 18: Language Background

Answer both questions about your language background. 

A. What language did you learn to speak first? (Mark only one.)

  • English 

  • English and another language

  • Another language

B. What language do you know best? (Mark only one.)

  • English 

  • English and another language

  • Another language

Question 19: Grade Point Average

Indicate your cumulative grade point average for all academic subjects in high school. If you don't know your exact grade point average, give your best estimate.  

  • A+ (97-100)

  • A (93-96)

  • A- (90-92)

  • B+ (87-89)

  • B (83-86)

  • B- (80-82)

  • C+ (77-79)

  • C (73-76)

  • C- (70-72)

  • D+ (67-69)

  • D (65-66)

  • E or F (below 65)

Question 20: Parents'/Guardians' Level of Education

Indicate the highest level of education of your parent/guardian. If you have two parents/guardians, indicate the level of education for your other parent/guardian in the bubbles that correspond with "B."

A. Parent/Guardian 1

  • Grade school

  • Some high school

  • High school diploma or equivalent

  • Vocational or trade school

  • Some college

  • Associate or two-year degree

  • Bachelor's of four-year degree

  • Some graduate or professional school

  • Graduate or professional degree

B. Parent/Guardian 2

  • Grade school

  • Some high school

  • High school diploma or equivalent

  • Vocational or trade school

  • Some college

  • Associate or two-year degree

  • Bachelor's of four-year degree

  • Some graduate or professional school

  • Graduate or professional degree

Question 21: Military Relation

Please indicate if you have a parent or guardian in the military. Mark all that apply.   

  • I have a parent/guardian who is on active duty in the U.S. military.

  • I have a parent/guardian who is in the National Guard or the Reserves.

  • I have a parent/guardian who was in the U.S. military but is not serving now. 

  • Neither of my parents/guardians has a current military connection. 

Question 22: College Major

You don't need to know what your college major will be, just indicate a major or area of study that interests you. Use the College Majors by Academic Area of Study list to fill in the code number and corresponding bubbles. If you're not sure, please fill in number 999 (Undecided). This field is optional.

Question 23: Email Address

Email address is optional. If you have already created your College Board account, use the email address you used when creating your account. If you decide to provide an email address, fill in the bubble to indicate whether the email address is yours or a parent’s/guardian’s. College Board will use the email address to send information such as when your scores are ready. As cosponsor of the PSAT/NMSQT, National Merit Scholarship Corporation will receive it. If you opted in to Student Search Service, your email address will be added to your Student Search Service record. 

The PSAT pre-survey questions and description of purpose are copyright of the College Board and are used here with permission. 

From the College Board:
The College Board has a deep respect for student privacy, and we are committed to protecting it. We are a signatory, with more than 200 K-12 school service providers and education leaders, of the Pledge to Safeguard Student Privacy, a public commitment for the responsible collection and use of student data. You can learn more here, including about the principles that ensure our commitment to privacy. It details what is collected and how we use the information collected.

Additionally, here are answers to some questions we frequently receive.

Q: Does the College Board sell student data?

The College Board does not sell student data. Through Student Search Service, students may participate in a voluntary program that connects students with information about educational and financial aid opportunities from nearly 1700 colleges, universities, scholarship programs and educational organizations. When students take the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10, they are asked if they want to participate.  By opting in, they give the College Board permission to share their name and limited information with college and scholarship programs looking for students like them. The College Board never shares social security number, actual test scores, self-reported parental income, disabilities, or phone numbers as part of Student Search Service. Participation is completely voluntary and students can opt out at any time. Eligible institutions sign a license agreement with the College Board, and the College Board consistently monitors their use of student information for compliance. After a five year term, the institutions must permanently destroy the data. 

Q: Does the College Board make unsolicited phone calls or send unsolicited texts?

We do not send students text messages or emails or call them on the phone unless they specifically opt in to the communication.