<p>PSAT: 228
SAT: 1st: 2170, 2nd: 2260
ACT: 36</p>
<p>Proving once again that it’s always beneficial to try both tests :)</p>
<p>…but of course NMS will only look at my SAT scores, which should be good enough for finalist, I hope.</p>
<p>I am about to croak, wondering if DS made the cut-off. He got 218 in VA, which is right on the border. The last three years, the cut-off qualifying scores were 218-219-217. Sooo… Will he get the red-carpet treatment for making that magic cut-off score? Free tuition and other bennies at some great colleges and universities?? We are financially challenged, and this could make a huge difference for him and for us. Or will his terrific score still only count as “nice try, kid”? We can’t make plans or know what to do next until we find out if he is a Semi-Finalist. (Grades are enough to make Finalist.) Does anyone know why it takes the CB such a long after the PSATs (almost a year) to decide the cut-off scores??</p>
<p>I used to stress about this but have come to accept S didn’t make the cutoff in our state and probably missed by one question.</p>
<p>It’s very arbitrary as it must be-a cutoff has to be established at some score. It is also not a national test-if we lived in 30+ other states he would make the state cutoff and from what I know of the process now he would get the whole thing-SAT scores are great, grades are great, EC are great etc. However, because he on one test missed one question he doesn’t get into the party-and that’s just the way it is.</p>
<p>Why it takes so long I have no idea-I would think with all the computerization of everything they could have this figured out months ago. </p>
<p>The only thing I have learned from this process is now I know the importance of a “practice test”. I have a friend whose S goes to a well regarded Catholic school here and all of his friends are going to be Juniors and they all are taking a 13 week, 3 hour per week prep class for the PSAT-how do you compete with that if you walk in off the street thinking it’s a practice test? Yes, when they give you the results in Sophomore year from CB they say the Junior test is used as a qualifying test for NMSF but really, unless you have been through it before or go to a school who stresses their stats on this and gets their kids prepped you just don’t know.</p>
<p>My daughter will surely be prepared, that much I do know. </p>
<p>I told my S if he likes a school and they give scholarships based on NMF status the only thing he can do is talk to them about why they would rule out giving him him the same amount of aid and just giving it a different name-for all intents and purposes he is just as “worthy” as the winners. If the school wants him they’ll work with him-if not we move on.</p>
<p>You are penalized for living in Va as he is for living in RI-hard to figure that out and explain to him why on a “National” test.</p>
<p>The more I see of this process and the tests the less I think these are true measures of anything but either natural ability to take tests well, preparation to take the tests, or a combination of both. One thing I am sure of is it is a big business.</p>
<p>Please don’t take this post as an indictment of those kids fortunate enough to be moving on to the next step. I am truly happy for you and it is a great accomplishment and I would be thrilled if my S was going to be part of it. </p>
<p>This is just one opinion, admittedly with more than a trace of disgust at the whole subject.</p>
<p>Understand the stress, howtheheck. My DD got 218 in Illinois, which should be okay, but it is a fluctuating target and who knows what they will decide??? In our case, it is a huge financial thing, b/c DH’s employer gives big $ to SemiFinalists.
Have posted elsewhere: I called NMF in Evanston, they are mailing NMSF packets to the High Schools on the 24th. Depending on the mails, your high school administration should have the packets by the 26th or 27th… </p>
<p>good luck to all</p>
<p>do ppl know the curve for each section? like how many you get wrong and the corresponding score?</p>
<p>^ If you go on collegeboard or look at the result booklet, you can kind of guess-timate.</p>
<p>PSAT:223
SAT: 2340
(ACT: 34)
State:WI</p>
<p>i got a 220 for California do u know where to find the cutoff?</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/986427-cut-off-scores-semi-finalist-announcements-21.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/986427-cut-off-scores-semi-finalist-announcements-21.html</a></p>
<p>I am from MS and the cutoff is 205. Way to move up from a 200! Woot woot! I got exactly the cutoff score so I am happy. Barely scraping by</p>
<p>Called today and told cutoff is 211 in RI.</p>
<p>PSAT: M 54, R 52, W 53 - Total: 159
SAT: M 800, R 760, W 760 - Total: 2320</p>