<p>Foxwolf</p>
<p>Were there other students at your HS who didn't get from semi- to finalist?</p>
<p>Oh, gosh. Now I'm nervous. Has anyone from Florida heard yet?</p>
<p>Foxwolf</p>
<p>We cannot check, because my son is the only one in his high school in the semi final list, so no body we can talk. When the school sent the package to NMSC last September, the package got lost and until NMSC called, they re-fax the package. For us, I mean the student and parents, this is an important issue to be semi - final. But for the school, that is no so important. They don't really care. When we submitted the application package to school, we were told that it could not be wrong, because there is only one package, the chance to be lost is about 1 / 500, but actually, the lost chance is 100%
because they only mailed one and that one got lost.</p>
<p>My D and the other semifinalist from her school found out today they are both NMFs when teachers congratulated them!</p>
<p>We're in VA.</p>
<p>Congratulations to those of you who heard they made finalists! We have had 2 "snow days" due to wind chills below -20 degrees. Hopefully the kids will be back in school tomorrow and we will hear something. Can't wait!</p>
<p>What is the main reason for those 1000 students could not get into the finalist?</p>
<p>Some states like MA, the cut off sore is 224. It is very unlikely those students will get low score in SAT, plus, they can re-take the test.</p>
<p>I heard that most of the people who don't make it to finalist is because they just didn't bother to fill out the paperwork or did fill it out and didn't turn it in on time. Can't remember for sure where I heard that, but I'm thinking it was in the literature they provided.</p>
<p>I've heard that most SF's who don't get to F status because they don't apply. Other reasons could be a low SAT score (unlikely), low grades or a negative rec. from the school.</p>
<p>I just got a reply to my e-mail to our GC. He says my son is a finalist and he was surprised we hadn't heard by mail already, as the other families had. This is very odd.</p>
<p>I am in Kansas...and received my finalist notification from principal</p>
<p>In Kansas as well and just received notification. Mermaid1, what school do you go to? I'm in Olathe.</p>
<p>bethievt</p>
<p>There were only three NMSF, all of us made it.</p>
<p>how's this for irritating: just talked to the school GC...she says these envelopes get sorted to the principal first, and she's not here today so the GC doesn't know if it's just sitting in the principal's mail or what. What's really bothersome is that this is a little itty bitty school (500 kids K-12!!!) - it's not like there's hundreds of pieces of mail piling up. But apparently it's not P.C. to go check the principal's mail when she's not there, (even though the darn envelopes from NMSC are usually addressed to Principal or Guidance Counselor) so we have to wait until tomorrow. Ugh!!!</p>
<p>Nothing from D's school, which isn't surprising. The assistant principal is out on sick leave, and everything is slower than usual. I bet we receive something in the mail directly from the NM corp sooner than we get notification from her school. I have to tell myself to be patient!</p>
<p>Here's what my son's GC just e-mailed me, after telling me my son was a Finalist:</p>
<p>"If he wanted to take the next step he would qualify for a scholarship,
but he could also be named as a Presidential Scholar. Let me know what
you would like to do."</p>
<p>What in the world does this mean? He (GC) will have gone home for the day, so I'll contact him tomorrow, but I thought these were two completely unconnected things.</p>
<p>I also don't understand how the other 3 NM families from our school have already received notification by mail from NMSC. We didn't get anything and I thought families heard after schools.</p>
<p>nebcat</p>
<p>My sympathies--I would be spitting tacks right about now if I were you.</p>
<p>Lurkness</p>
<p>Hang in there. I'm a terrible waiter--very impatient--when it comes to anything about my son. Like it matters if we hear today or tomorrow--but it feels like it does.</p>
<p>Bethievt--National Merit and Presidential Scholars ARE two totally different things. The former is sponsored by the non-profit National Merit Corporation, the latter by the U.S. Dept. of Education. Maybe the GC was only trying to make less work for himself? I think both require GC input. Who knows?</p>
<p>bethievt, I'm the same way - hard time waiting to hear on these kind of things. I don't think B even cares one way or the other about NMF. He never mentions when he wins any kind of school award. </p>
<p>Two weeks ago, his HS had an awards ceremony for the entire school; he was recognized for a number of things, including his NMSF. The school sent an invite home with him for us to go, and he never even gave it to us ... my cleaning lady found the invitation under his bed over the weekend and gave it to me! Arrrggh! </p>
<p>I've left B a message to call me if he found out about NMF today, although I'm sure he wouldn't call me about it even if he did. If we're VERY lucky, he will casually mention it. </p>
<p>What do you do with a kid like that? You ask the school directly! So I've emailed the GC; she's forwarded it to the principal, so at least he is aware notifications were mailed to the schools last Friday. And of course, National Merit is supposed to mail notifications to the students' homes starting tomorrow. </p>
<p>Good luck to everyone, btw!!!!</p>
<p>Jegan: I go to East High in Wichita...Congratulations</p>
<p>Brandon's Mom--I have a daughter who is exactly as you described your son. I never hear anything from her about awards, acknowledgements, etc. This morning, when I dropped her off at school (the weather was bad so I insisted on driving) I noticed that the visitor parking lot was packed and that parents seemed to be heading into the main building in droves. I asked my daughter what was going on and she replied "nothing." Turns out it was the senior awards ceremony for state testing results. Rachel had "distinguished" scores in all major categories. Of course, I would have loved to have been there, to see her acknowledged and to be the proud parent. But, no. According to Rachel it was "no big deal." Same with NMSF. Same with the Presidential Scholars. She could win a Nobel Prize and it would be "no big deal." What do we do with these kids? If you ever figure it out, let me know!</p>
<p>At least with a Nobel Prize you'd hear it on the news.</p>
<p>With my kids, I found an acquaintance with the school secretary--who knows EVERYTHING--to be invaluable. Nonetheless, my absolute proudest moment as a parent was when I overheard--entirely by accident, honestly--two judges at FIRST Robotics discussing my son. (I was coming out of the bathroom.) Later when his team won an award, I knew exactly why!</p>