1. technology and computing
2. computer certification

Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
Student Data Files in Electronic Format
Data Set Record Layout
December 2014
The enclosed CD contains the student background information that is provided on the PSAT/NMSQT ® answer
sheet, as well as details of student test performance. Files on the CD are in IBM ASCII format, dataset name =
PSA2014.DAT. *
A description of the data set record layout appears inside. Unless otherwise noted, a blank appearing in a field
indicates that no response was given or that multiple responses were provided.
The data file includes an AP Potential™ Indicator (P) for each AP subject for which a given student has a 60 percent
likelihood of scoring a 3 or better on the AP Exam. Students will receive an indicator (S) if there is a 40-59% likelihood of
scoring a 3 or better on a given AP Exam. This information, starting at position #541, can be used to identify students who
may be ready for the challenge and rigor of AP. The AP Potential information ends at position #562, but additional filler
positions have been added, making position #580 the final field.
AP Potential should never be used to discourage a motivated student from registering for an AP course, since the AP Potential
results only account for some of the factors that contribute to the students' exam results, and do not take into account the power
of an individual student's motivation, parental support, and teacher efficacy. For more guidelines on proper use of this data, go
to collegeboard.org/appotential.
The PSAT/NMSQT reports on the same set of college readiness skills as SAT® and ReadiStep™ (the College Board’s
assessment for eighth graders). Skills Insight™ demonstrates the relationship between a student’s PSAT/NMSQT scores
and their mastery of skills – helping educators close achievement gaps by identifying and addressing areas for
improvement and managing appropriate curriculum adjustments. Access PSAT/NMSQT Skills Insight at
psatskills.collegeboard.com.
* Files on the CD can be read using a program like Microsoft Excel, following these procedures:
1. Open the file using “All files.”
2. Confirm that the record layout is “fixed width.”
3. Using this layout, place breaklines at each field’s position. For example, the first field is two spaces for
testing year, so place a breakline at “2.” Continue for each field, with the last line at position “580.”
4. Hit “finish,” and the spreadsheet will appear with data loaded.
OR,
Request the Microsoft Excel-ready version (a .csv file), which has the added benefit of identifying the correct
answer choice and level of difficulty for each question. To order an Excel-ready version:
• Go to collegeboard.org/school and click on the "Sign into the PSAT/NMSQT Ordering Site"
link.
• Sign in with the same user name and password you used to place your previous order. If you do not
remember your user name and/or password, click on the “Forgot?” links for assistance.
• Click the “Order Optional Reports and Services” link.
• Orders need to be placed by April 1, 2015.
© 2014 The College Board. All rights reserved. College Board, AP, SAT and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. AP Potential, ReadiStep and
Skills Insight are trademarks owned by the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Page 1 of 5
Start
Position
1
3
9
24
36
37
62
77
79
84
87
88
94
End Position
2
8
23
35
36
61
76
78
83
86
87
93
94
Description
Year in which test was administered
School code
Last name
First name
Middle initial
Street address
City
State
Zip code
Country code
Sex
Date of birth
Racial/Ethnic group
95
95
Grade Level
96
98
107
113
114
97
106
112
113
114
Optional code
Social Security number
Filler
U.S. citizen
High school student
115
115
Year completing high school and entering college
116
116
Number of years in grades 9-12
117
117
Grade point average
118
121
122
123
125
127
129
132
134
136
138
140
142
144
146
120
121
122
124
126
128
131
133
135
137
139
141
143
145
147
College major code
Participation in Student Search Service
Y indicates unofficial report
Critical reading score
Mathematics score
Writing skills score
Selection Index (CR + M + W)
Critical reading national percentile
Mathematics national percentile
Writing skills national percentile
Critical reading state percentile
Mathematics state percentile
Writing skills state percentile
Selection Index national percentile
Test form code
148
177
Answers to critical reading section 1 questions
178
207
Answers to critical reading section 3 questions
208
210
212
209
211
213
Critical reading correct answers
Critical reading incorrect answers
Critical reading questions omitted
Page 2 of 5
Explanation
For U.S. Territories and Countries other than U.S.
MMDDYY
1=American Indian or Alaska Native
2= Asian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander
3=Black or African American
4=Mexican or Mexican American
5=Puerto Rican
6=Other Hispanic, Latino, or Latin American
7=White
8=Other
1=<8 (not yet 8), 2=8, 3=9, 4=10, 5=11, 6=12, 0=Other,
9=No Response
Y=Yes, P=No, but will apply for citizenship, N=No
Y=Yes, N=No
1=Testing year plus 1 (if the testing year is 2014, 1=2015);
2=Testing year plus 2; 3=Testing year plus 3;
4=Testing year plus 4 or greater; 5=Not planning college
1=1 year, 2=2 years, 3=3 years, 4=4 years, 5=5 or more
years
A=A+, B=A, C=A-, D=B+, E=B, F=B-, G=C+, H=C, I=C-,
J=D+, K=D, L=E or F
001 -999 (See inside back cover.)
(Yes or No or blank)
(20-80)
(20-80)
(20-80)
(60-240)
W=Wednesday, S=Saturday, A=Form A (left justified)
(A, B, C, D, E) (Use number of questions in positions 367368 to determine number of bytes with valid responses.)
(A, B, C, D, E) (Use number of questions in positions 369370 to determine number of bytes with valid responses.)
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-48)
Start
Position
End Position
Description
214
215
Critical reading raw score
216
240
Answers to mathematics section 2 questions
241
255
256
305
306
308
310
307
309
311
Answers to mathematics section 4
multiple-choice questions
Answers to mathematics questions requiring
student-produced responses
Mathematics correct answers
Mathematics incorrect answers
Mathematics questions omitted
312
313
Mathematics raw score
314
358
Answers to writing skills questions
359
361
363
360
362
364
Writing skills correct answers
Writing skills incorrect answers
Writing skills questions omitted
365
366
Writing skills raw score
367
369
371
368
370
372
373
374
375
377
376
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
387
389
391
393
395
397
399
401
386
388
390
392
394
396
398
400
402
403
404
Number of questions in critical reading section 1
Number of questions in critical reading section 3
Number of questions in mathematics section 2
Number of multiple-choice questions in
mathematics section 4
Number of student-produced response questions
Number of questions in writing skills section 5
CR: Determining the Meaning of Words Correct
Answers
CR: Determining the Meaning of Words Incorrect
Answers
CR: Determining the Meaning of Words Questions
Omitted
CR: Author's Craft Correct Answers
CR: Author's Craft Incorrect Answers
CR: Author's Craft Questions Omitted
CR: Reasoning & Inference Correct Answers
CR: Reasoning & Inference Incorrect Answers
CR: Reasoning & Inference Questions Omitted
CR: Organization & Ideas Correct Answers
CR: Organization & Ideas Incorrect Answers
CR: Organization & Ideas Questions Omitted
CR: Understanding Literary Elements Correct
Answers
Explanation
(-12 through +48)
If 2nd position is A – I or { the number is positive.
If 2nd position is J – R or } the number is negative.
{=0, A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6, G=7, H=8, I=9
}=0, J=1, K=2, L=3, M=4, N=5, O=6, P=7, Q=8, R=9
EXAMPLE 5D = +54
5M = -54
5{ = +50
5} = -50
(A, B, C, D, E) (Use number of questions in positions 371 372 to determine number of bytes with valid responses.)
(A, B, C, D, E) (Use number of questions in positions 373374 to determine number of bytes with valid responses.)
Ten 5-position fields, 0-9, ‘.’, ‘/’
‘?’ indicates unscorable response.
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(-07 through +38)
If 2nd position is A – I or { the number is positive.
If 2nd position is J – R or } the number is negative.
{=0, A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6, G=7, H=8, I=9
}=0, J=1, K=2, L=3, M=4, N=5, O=6, P=7, Q=8, R=9
EXAMPLE 5D = +54
5M = -54
5{ = +50
5} = -50
(A, B, C, D, E) (Use number of questions in positions 377378 to determine number of bytes with valid responses.)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(-10 through +39)
If 2nd position is A – I or { the number is positive.
If 2nd position is J – R or } the number is negative.
{=0, A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6, G=7, H=8, I=9
}=0, J=1, K=2, L=3, M=4, N=5, O=6, P=7, Q=8, R=9
EXAMPLE 5D = +54
5M = -54
5{ = +50
5} = -50
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-48)
Page 3 of 5
Start
Position
End Position
405
406
407
408
409
411
413
415
417
419
421
423
425
427
410
412
414
416
418
420
422
424
426
428
429
430
431
432
433
435
437
439
441
443
445
447
449
451
453
455
457
459
461
434
436
438
440
442
444
446
448
450
452
454
456
458
460
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
477
479
481
476
478
480
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
493
College Readiness Benchmark
494
504
524
539
503
523
538
540
My College QuickStart Access Code
Filler
Student ID Number
Local ID 2
Description
CR: Understanding Literary Elements Incorrect
Answers
CR: Understanding Literary Elements Questions
Omitted
M: Number & Operations Correct Answers
M: Number & Operations Incorrect Answers
M: Number & Operations Questions Omitted
M: Algebra & Functions Correct Answers
M: Algebra & Functions Incorrect Answers
M: Algebra & Functions Questions Omitted
M: Geometry & Measurement Correct Answers
M: Geometry & Measurement Incorrect Answers
M: Geometry & Measurement Questions Omitted
M: Data, Statistics, & Probability Correct Answers
M: Data, Statistics, & Probability Incorrect
Answers
M: Data, Statistics, & Probability Questions
Omitted
M: Problem Solving Correct Answers
M: Problem Solving Incorrect Answers
M: Problem Solving Questions Omitted
M: Representation Correct Answers
M: Representation Incorrect Answers
M: Representation Questions Omitted
M: Reasoning Correct Answers
M: Reasoning Incorrect Answers
M: Reasoning Questions Omitted
M: Connections Correct Answers
M: Connections Incorrect Answers
M: Connections Questions Omitted
M: Communication Correct Answers
M: Communication Incorrect Answers
M: Communication Questions Omitted
W: Grammatical Relationships between Words
Correct Answers
W: Grammatical Relationships between Words
Incorrect Answers
W: Grammatical Relationships between Words
Questions Omitted
W: Words & Phrases Used to Modify or Compare
Correct Answers
W: Words & Phrases Used to Modify or Compare
Incorrect Answers
W: Words & Phrases Used to Modify or Compare
Questions Omitted
W: Phrases & Clauses Correct Answers
W: Phrases & Clauses Incorrect Answers
W: Phrases & Clauses Questions Omitted
W: Correctly Formed Sentences Correct Answers
W: Correctly Formed Sentences Incorrect
Answers
W: Correctly Formed Sentences Questions
Omitted
W: Relationships of Sentences & Paragraphs
Correct Answers
W: Relationships of Sentences & Paragraphs
Incorrect Answers
W: Relationships of Sentences & Paragraphs
Questions Omitted
Explanation
(0-48)
(0-48)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-38)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
(0-39)
Y = Meets or surpasses benchmark; N = Does not meet
benchmark
(Included for pilot participants only)
Page 4 of 5
Start
Position
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
End Position
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555 *
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
Description
AP Potential: Art History
AP Potential: Biology
AP Potential: Calculus AB
AP Potential: Chemistry
AP Potential: Comparative Government & Politics
AP Potential: Computer Science A
AP Potential: English Language
AP Potential: English Literature
AP Potential: Environment Science
AP Potential: European History
AP Potential: Human Geography
AP Potential: Macroeconomics
AP Potential: Microeconomics
AP Potential: Music Theory
AP Potential: Physics B
AP Potential: Physics C: Mechanics
AP Potential: Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism
AP Potential: Psychology
AP Potential: Statistics
AP Potential: U.S. Government & Politics
AP Potential: U.S. History
AP Potential: World History
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Filler
Explanation
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
P = Potential, S = Some Potential.
* AP Potential for AP Physics B can be used to identify potential for success in AP Physics 1. While we don’t currently report AP
Potential for AP Physics 2, students who have shown success in either Physics 1 or an equivalent course should consider enrolling
in AP Physics 2.
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Page 5 of 5