Interpret your section scores. Scores for the three sections of the exam are reported between 20 and 80. You will receive a numeric score for each section. According to the College Board, the national average score on the math section for 10th and 11th grade students in 2009 was 43 and 48, respectively. Average critical reading scores for 10th and 11th graders were 42 and 47, respectively, and average writing skills scores were 41 and 46, respectively. For example, if you are a sophomore and received a 44 on the math section of the exam, you performed slightly above the national average for the math section.
Interpret your percentile score. In addition to a numeric score for each section, you are also presented with a percentile to help gauge your score versus the rest of the nation. For example, you may receive the score of 60 percentile for the math section of the exam. You should interpret this to mean that you scored better than 60 percent of the students in your grade who took the PSAT.
Interpret the selection index. The selection index is the cumulative score of all three sections of the exam. Scores will range from 60 to 240. According to the College Board, in 2009, the average selection index for students was a 141. If your selection index was a 138, for example, you scored slightly below the national average for the PSAT.