National Hispanic Merit Scholar

If you’re a Hispanic/Latino junior and take the PSAT/NMSQT, you could be invited to apply for academic recognition as part of the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP).

Every year, the NHRP recognizes about 5,000 of the 250,000 Hispanic/Latino juniors who take the test.

Benefits

The College Board’s NHRP program is an academic honor that can be included on college applications. It’s not a scholarship, but colleges do use this program to identify academically exceptional Hispanic/Latino students.

Who’s Invited to Apply

The College Board reaches out to students who:

• Take the PSAT/NMSQT in October of their junior year
• Are at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino
• Achieve the minimum required PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index score (this qualifying level may vary by state, region, and territory each year)
• Earn a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher by the middle of their junior year

Good to Know

• You need to identify as Hispanic/Latino on your PSAT/NMSQT answer sheet where it asks for race and ethnicity.
• Only junior-year PSAT/NMSQT scores count. SAT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9 scores can’t be used.

Self-Nomination Instructions

If you took the PSAT/NMSQT, but didn’t let us know that you’re Hispanic/Latino, you can still be considered for the NHRP. Email NHRP for self-nomination instructions.

NHRP’s Definition of Hispanic/Latino

To be eligible, you must be at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino. Hispanic/Latino is an ethnic category, not a racial category, so you can be of any race.

You must have ancestors from at least one of these countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay, or Venezuela.

Timeline

• October of junior year: Take the PSAT/NMSQT and check Hispanic/Latino on your answer sheet.
• February–March: NHRP invites eligible students to apply online.
• Spring: Work with your school to submit a form confirming your ethnicity and your cumulative GPA.
• June 15: Application deadline.
• September of senior year: NHRP notifies recognized students.

Educator Responsibilities

A school official must sign a form confirming your ethnicity and midpoint cumulative GPA. Estimated GPAs are acceptable, but if yours is borderline, your school can wait until the final GPA is available — just make sure it’s in by June 15.

Recognition

If you’re a finalist, you’ll get a certificate in the mail in September of senior year. You’ll have plenty of time to list it on your college applications.

Your school will also be notified.

Recognized students are from the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Mariana Islands, and the Marshall Islands, as well as other students attending schools abroad. Approximately 200 of the top-scoring PAA™ students from Puerto Rico are also included.