<p>Marshcat - Juniors who are at least commended will be contacted in May. At that time, they can give NM the names of two colleges to be contacted about NM status.</p>
<p>As for the scholarships, there are 3 kinds - NM-sponsored, corporate sponsored, and college sponsored. I know NM and college sponsored scholarships do NOT send you a check. I would be surprised if the corporate sponsored scholarships sent the student the check.</p>
<p>My kids go to a small independent day school in NE. My soph D took the PSAT this year. The college counselor said that this year when they distribute the results they will not give sophomores their grades by default. If you want them, you can ask for them but they prefer that you focus on the comments on what sections went well/didn't primarily. I don't know when or how they plan to distrubute but I don't think there will be individual meetings. They may do something with all the sophomores as they have regular weekly meetings anyway (about 60 kids per grade)</p>
<p>The thing about NMS is that in terms of actual dollars the amount of money handed out per awardee is pretty small compared to the typical tuition at a competitive college.</p>
<p>But lots and lots of colleges offered substantial "merit aid" to students who are National Merit Finalists, so it never hurts to have that designation.</p>
<p>In fact, some lower tier and still very good schools will give you a full ride plus other benefits base on your NMF status.</p>
<p>Make it clear that you'll be disgruntled if your school holds the scores for a while.</p>
<p>wait...last year i got them in the mail? (when i was a soph). it came with the answers and all</p>
<p>They went to your school and your school mailed them, I guess. Schools deal with it differently. Mine calls us all to the auditorium, where they're all arranged in alphabetical order, and talks to us about them. Unfortunately, they did it after break last year, and I'll bet they will this year too.</p>
<p>Grrrr I really want to know how I did! My mom emailed the guidance office with a question about service hours, and I made her put "PS: When are PSAT scores going to be distributed?" (We thought that "WE KNOW THEY'RE SITTING IN YOUR OFFICE!" was taking it a little too far.) >:|</p>
<p>Well, shoot. I was fine anticipating scores being delivered around mid-December. But then I start hearing the buzz that folks were receiving their scores and sure enough, they are. <em>humph</em> Now the anxiety, checking the mail daily, until those scores arrive. This could be a long two weeks or more...</p>
<p>(And to think, I am just the parent. lol)</p>
<p>Hmm. I got mine today. I got an 11 point boost from last year. Only a 181 but I'm not terribly disapointed. It's the 4th or 5th highest in my school so.</p>
<p>11 point boost - Congrats, Kayleigh! :-)</p>
<p>Thanks MyzzBee!</p>
<p>I got my score yesterday and got a 220. I heard that my score is enough for semi-finalist in New York, but I'm still not sure... I also heard that this year's test was "harder" than in past years so hopefully all of the cut-offs will be higher than in past years. Do you think my score is enough to get semi?</p>
<p>You never can be sure. Congrats on the awesome score though. I'm not familiar with New Yorks but you can probably find Last year's cut off by searching and then it will probably be 1 or 2 points higher this year, unless everyone just generally did worse, but it's something to go on.</p>
<p>Good luck & congrats!</p>
<p>Thanks and congrats to you to! I called the National Merit/College Board and they said that last year's cut-off was 219, and my college and guidance counselors said that they would be surprised if I didn't get it... I think I'm just nervous about it and I want to know!!</p>
<p>There's a thread on this first page titled, "official national merit semifinalist cutoff scores 2007"...you can find this year's cut-offs and speculate from there.</p>
<p>I am guessing you mean will the cut-offs be lower this year due to the increased difficulty, right? In other words, will the current cut-off of 221 be, say, 219 due to the increased difficulty? It's possible...that is what happened this year. But I thought that was already the adjustment for difficulty, no? Are you all saying it had increased further in difficulty?!</p>
<p>Oo well good luck again. Hopefully it won't increase or by only one point and you'll be in !</p>
<p>This year's cut-off was a 219 (2007), and I know from at least the people in my school that not that many kids got a 220 or higher (and I go to a competitive high school in New York). I was surprised because I got in the 99th percentile and I got a 220 (67 CR, 73 M, 80 W), so I was thinking that they may have made the cut-off even lower or it might have stayed the same (which I am hoping)... I just don't want it to increase, because if it does, then I am cut out. I don't think that will happen though because it was a much harder test, and they can't curve it that much if kids just get questions wrong... I was just wondering what you think they will do, change the cut-off to higher, lower, or not change it.</p>
<p>wow, people have them already?! my school is very picky about testing scores and all, so i would assume they're putting PSAT scores at a somewhat high priority than all the other crap</p>
<p>i got a 218!!! im so happy!! because im a sophmore!!!</p>
<p>to bad i can't tell anyone in my school about it though.</p>