National Merit Scholarship Corporation

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National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) is an independent, not-for-profit organization in the United States that operates without government assistance. NMSC conducts two annual competitions for recognition and scholarships--the National Merit Scholarship Program, which is open to all students who meet entry requirements, and the National Achievement Scholarship Program in which only Black American students participate. Each year a total of approximately 10,500 scholarships are awarded through NMSC programs. The corporation's headquarters are located in Evanston, Illinois.

NMSC uses the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) as the initial screen of over 1.4 million program entrants. The Selection Index score (the sum of the critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills scores) is used to designate groups of entrants who qualify for program recognition. A total of about 55,000 students receive recognition through NMSC programs each year.