<p>Thanks Brandon's mom</p>
<p>They (the school) certainly didn't have the same sense of urgency as I had about this information getting out. I guess that's understandable, but still irritating. If I hadn't walked into the office and asked, I don't know how long I'd have waited.</p>
<p>Thanks Nebcat, I probably gave a wrong impression. My kid's school has a lot of experience with National Merit and won't let anyone fall through a crack. But your advice is good.</p>
<p>Daughter heard today (East Central Kansas). It was very special - I was to pick her up early for an out of town appointment. Principal e-mailed me and asked if I could come in even a few minutes earlier. They called her to the office and said her mother was there, and she just assumed it was for the appointment. The look on her face was wonderful. Our local newspaper photographer just happened to walk into the building (to photograph a sports signing - ugh!) and he took her picture. D lamented that she had worn her comfy, slouchy sweatshirt to school today because it is so cold! The packet and certificate are small - about half the size of the semifinalist packet. Just once wouldn't you love it if academic kids would get big, honkin' medals or trophies like sports kids do and not certificates (I shouldn't be complaining - the scholarship perks completely outweigh the 'lack of hardware').</p>
<p>P.S. My nephew in Missouri heard today too!</p>
<p>MidwestParent--What a wonderful way to be informed of Finalist status! Your daughter has a truly classy principal/school. For my daughter, I'd just be grateful at this point if they'd relay the information at all!</p>
<p>HS in Ala. 20 semi-finalists, all are finalists.</p>
<p>Thank you Hindoo! Yes, this was handled nicely. Can't say all things at the h.s. are! It is a school with TWO AP classes - yes TWO! She was the only semifinalist/now finalist out of the senior class and they had her type HER OWN semifinalist application. I hear of other schools doing it all for the kids (as my nephew's school did). We tell her we are so proud of her because she did this on her own - no fancy, high-level high school curriculum, no high school PSAT tutoring, no Kaplan courses in our town of 25,000!</p>
<p>I got my notification today from my principal, unfortunately. </p>
<p>I say unfortunately because I woke up sick today (I think I'm coming down with something), so I did one of those "roll-out-of bed" outfits, hair in a pony, no makeup. I had my mom come get me after third period, after a calculus test, and in the middle of the test I get a call to come to the principal's office. I was pretty sure it was about NMF. So I went and waited in my "sick" mode and then my extremely enthusiastic principal and most of the administration congradulates me. And then he wanted to take a picture for the paper! hahahaha. I asked him to wait until tomorrow, I promised I would look better and be excited. <em>shakes head.</em></p>
<p>But I'm glad I got it. </p>
<p>Oh, I'm in FL btw.</p>
<p>I just got my notification too; my principal just called me at home while I was eating dinner. It really surprised me, and I'm somewhat worried I sounded less than enthusiastic. She plans on calling the newspaper, and doing a whole article about me. My town is extremely small and always does that type of thing.... It's pretty cool, but I'm not one for the spotlight.... Maybe I can convince her to call it off.... Congrats to everyone!</p>
<p>Well, I live in MO and my son's high school has made no announcements at all, but the kids in the other public school in town have been told "unofficially", whatever that means. We do not anticipate any sort of congratulatory scene.</p>
<p>Son was told by counselor two days ago but did not think it was a big enough deal to even tell us!</p>
<p>If until today, nothing heard from the high school and also nothing heard from NMSC, is that means that student will not be in final list?</p>
<p>For commended students, they knew that status LATER than those semi-finalist students. How about the situation for semi - final</p>
<p>Not getting in finalist - Know first or
getting in finalist know first ??/</p>
<p>sigma</p>
<p>If I hadn't walked in to the main office of my son's HS and asked to see the NM finalist list and then nicely insisted that they must have it because it was mailed in February 2, I still wouldn't know that my son was a finalist, but he is. So are the other 3 students from his school who were semi-finalists.</p>
<p>So, no, even though you haven't heard yet, it doesn't mean the news will be bad. It probably means the list is sitting on someone's desk. I wish they would realize how hard it is for parents to sit with this uncertainty. I think it would be ok for you to call the HS and ask if the finalist list is there. We should be getting notification mailed to us at home soon.</p>
<p>bethievt,</p>
<p>Thanks for the information. I heard from this CC that the students did not make the final list had received letter. Actually my son has been accepted by
an ivy league University. This may not mean money to him. Based on his grade and scores being accepted by ivy league school, it should not be an problem for him to get in final list from semi final</p>
<p>NMSC supposed to send letter to finalist students yesterday (Feb 7) so either this weekend or next Monday, the letter will be in the mail box. But, he has to bring this letter to see the principal to collect his certificate.</p>
<p>This thing does not mean too much to the school, even though the school
has only one finalist. The school's goal is to reach state average, but they never get there and working on that to become a state average high school.</p>
<p>I just called my daughter's high school, where they have 15 NM semi-finalists this year. Her GC told me they haven't received anything yet regarding finalist status! Which means, the letter is probably gathering dust on the principal's desk. Knowing this guy, if it were some sort of football honor, he'd have ripped it open the instant it came through the door. So, oh, well. I guess we'll find out when we find out.</p>
<p>D called to tell me GC gave her certif for NMF. Doesn't think she'll get any $ because she said her essay was awful. Compared it to something her 11 year old sister would write. Hoping grades, scores and recs will override the inferior essay.</p>
<p>Hindoo</p>
<p>You are absolutely right. Like I said many principals are not interested for this. In some schools, there is a reward meeting each year, they gave hundreds rewards for you really don't know what that for. But, for this national recognized reward, they may not mention. </p>
<p>My son's school made the anouncement with a picture last September for ALL commended level students including ONE semi-final. They may don't know
what is the difference between commended and semi. If there is football local division champion, then that is a different issue.</p>
<p>I'm trying my best to be patient, but it's not working very well. When B made semi-finalist, the principal contacted me after I "badgered" the GC with a couple of phone calls and emails. And even after that, it took the school a bit of time to get the packets to the semi-finalists at B's school. They said they didn't want to give the packets out until the NM official semi-finalist announcement date. The semifinalists wound up having only a week to complete the packets and return them to the school. </p>
<p>Shouldn't they get the package by today or tomorrow at the latest? 5-6 mailing days from Illinois to Florida? </p>
<p>I hope if a package from National Merit arrives, addressed to the principal or GC, stating that this must be opened immediately and given to the students, they would consider it urgent.</p>
<p>My dad just called National Merit, gave them B's name, date of birth, & high school, and the lady tried to look it up, but they were having computer problems. So she asked my dad to call back at 4:00 pm Eastern Time today (3:00 pm Central - their time) and she is hopeful they will be able to give him the info then. So I guess they're not averse to giving out the names over the phone. </p>
<p>So maybe we'll know today!</p>
<p>Bmom, we have a similar situation at my D's school where athletic victories are celebrated loudly but academic victories only quietly, or when the principal needs to brag to the board of trustees. Because of your thread, I asked my D and DW not to bring it up and just wait and see if the GC or Principal even mention it.</p>
<p>Sports gets more attention and $$ at our hs too than the Arts or academics.</p>
<p>Does anyone know what's involved in moving forward from finalist to scholarship?</p>
<p>mardad, B's school is known both for academics and athletics, and they do celebrate both - but generally the athletic stuff gets announced much more quickly than the academics, and "hangs around" a lot longer on their website. For instance, in a search of B's name on their site, you will find that he was named to the county AllStar football team, but nothing about his NMSF award, or that he scored an 800 in CR and an 800 in the math on the SAT. All 3 items were once posted on the website, too! </p>
<p>And bethievt, there is nothing else to do now but wait . . . unless there are colleges that your child applied to that give National Merit Finalist $. Then I would notify them ASAP!!</p>