Class of 2014 NMSF Qualifying scores

challengefan · September 7, 2013, 6:19pm

But IMO a 217 should make it, the highest previous cutoff was 216, and last year was 213

ROCKFISHDG · September 7, 2013, 7:03pm

updating MO

I’m going to wait on CA, MA & DC for now…

Please use this template that explains the symbols below for each state

See the stickied FAQ thread in this forum for links to lists of previous scores.

After the press-release date in mid-September, qualifying scores will be available by phone from the NMSC. Here is the number to call–the receptionist will give you one “qualifying score” when asked.

National Merit Scholarship Corporation
1560 Sherman Avenue
Suite 200
Evanston, Illinois 60201-4897
Main Telephone: (847) 866-5100
Main Fax: (847) 866-5113

You can feel free to edit the list yourself. Or simply post your information and rely on others to edit it in.

<ul>
<li>If you have been notified that you are NMSF, post your score (and your state) if it is lower than the score already posted for your state. It will then become the lowest known qualifying score and be indicated as “<=”.</li>
<li>If you have reliable knowledge of what the qualifying score for your state is (try asking whoever notifies you!), post it here, too. It will become the definitive cut-off score for your state indicated by “=”.</li>
<li>Finally, if you know that you did not qualify and had a reasonably high score, it can also be useful to post your score as an example of the highest non-qualifying score. This can be indicated by “>=”</li>
</ul>

Please note: Be conscientious as you post scores on this thread–it would be crushing to be led to believe you have made the cutoff by a post but actually haven’t. But everyone should be tolerant of mistakes, too. This is an unofficial source of information derived from a collaborative process and is not, therefore, guaranteed.

Remaining states that need to be finalized:
AK, CA, CT, DE, DC, HI, ID, 
ME, MD, MA, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC,
OR, RI, SC, SD, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY

Updating <states updated=""></states>

**AL=211<a href=“post%20#872%20%5Bb%5D+2%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
AK=?
**AZ=214<a href=“post%20#798,%20per%20HS%20Admin%20%5Bb%5D+2%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**AR=205<a href=“per%20post%20#1041%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
CA>=222 (221 didn’t make it per post #986) <=223 (post #965 per principal)
**CO=215<a href=“tweet%20from%20CO%20principal%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
CT<=221 (post #1065)
DE=?
DC=?
**FL=214<a href=“post%20#786,%20per%20GC%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**GA=217<a href=“post%20#943,%20per%20HSCC%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
HI<=215 (post #1009)
ID<=212 (post #1025)
**IL=216<a href=“post%20#929,%20per%20GC%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**IN=215<a href=“posts%20#952%20&%20968%20%5Bb%5D+4%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**IA=210<a href=“post%20#783,%20per%20GC%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**KS=216<a href=“post%20#699,%20per%20principal%20%5Bb%5D+4%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**KY=211<a href=“post%20#795%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**LA=209<a href=“post%20#891%20per%20GC%20%5Bb%5DUnchanged%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
ME=?
MD<=230 (post #808 per GC)
MA=?
**MI=210<a href=“post%20#1012,%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
MN<=219 (posts #1044 & #1047)
**MS=207<a href=“post%20#949,%20per%20GC%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
MO<=214 (post #1077)
MT=?
NE<=215 (post #1061)
NV=?
NH=?
NJ<=226 (post #716 per principal)
NM<=210 (post #1005, per GC)
NY<=219 (post #684 per principal)
NC<=215 (post #1058)
**ND=204<a href=“per%20post%20#966%20%5Bb%5D+4%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**OH=215<a href=“per%20post%20#696%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**OK=210<a href=“per%20posts%20#689%20&%20#698%20%5Bb%5D+4%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
OR<=218 (post #1066)
**PA=217<a href=“per%20posts%20#706%20&%20#856%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
RI=?
SC=?
SD=?
**TN=212<a href=“post%20#917,%20per%20GC%20%5Bb%5D+2%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**TX=219<a href=“per%20post%20#793%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
UT<=211 (post #1056)
**VT=217<a href=“per%20post%20#1032%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
VA>=222 (221 didn’t make it per post #777)
WA<=220 (post #705, per principal)
WV<=204 (post #815, per school administration)
WI<=210 (post #764, per notified)
WY=?

10(?) Boarding school regions
**OH region=219 <a href=“per%20post%20#781”>/b</a>

These usually are set to be equal to the highest cut-off score among the individual states in the region.

Internationals=?
This usually is set to be equal to the highest cut-off score among all the individual states.

Commended (national cutoff) = 203 (+3)
Any person with a score equal to or higher than this cutoff who is not a NMSF receives commended status. This group represents the highest 50,000 scorers.

National Achievement

Regions (we are unsure of these regions)
National Achievement Regions

Regions
1: CT, DE, DC, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI ,VT , VA
2: IL, IN, KY, MI, NC, OH, TN, WV, WI
3: Al, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, SC
4: AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, IA, KS, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, ND, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WY
5: Boarding schools and internationals

Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 need results

1<=206 in MD (post #835 )
2=?
3<=187 in MS (post #875 )
4=?
5=?

Outstanding participants(National)=?

bostonmom2 · September 7, 2013, 7:25pm

Student made NASF in region 4 with 205

jpluo500 · September 7, 2013, 8:24pm

Hi anyone can confirm 223 in CA, 224 in MA and DC?
Thanks

OhDad3 · September 7, 2013, 9:29pm

Semifinalist Letter addressed to S from NMSC dated 27 Aug and given to him Fri, 6 Sep by GC, states in part:

“Except for your family and your high school principal, this information is confidential until Wed, Sep 11, 2013 when NMSC will release the names of Semifinalists to news media nationwide.”

I understand that as part of the package to explain the Semifinalist process and rationale for proportioning by state, cutoff scores for all states are provided in the administrators guide, but the instruction is to NOT provide this information to anyone. Schools are permitted to give each Semifinalist their personal letter in private the minute it became available from NMSC.

Blue89 · September 7, 2013, 10:07pm

I can appreciate NMC would like to make the national announcement for theatrics and marketing effect. Our D has not yet taken the SAT and would ONLY take it if named a NMSF. As of now, we would have to drive 20 miles for her to take the test because spaces at the local high schools are full. The $50+ fee for the SAT is non refundable, not to mention the difficulty in choosing a date that doesn’t conflict with college visits, EC competitions etc… The delay in announcing NMSF is impractical.

Estrogena · September 8, 2013, 12:15am

I am the Virginia poster. My son attends a regular old public school in Virginia. It is a huge jump this year. And for other posters who haven’t gotten ANY info from their school administrators: our principal shared with our GC (who shared with me) a letter he got from the NMSC stating that no one from our school made the semifinals this year. So no news really is good news.

texaspg · September 8, 2013, 12:22am

" make the national announcement for theatrics and marketing effect"

Exactly. My kid had a 230+ two years ago and knew in December. Many of the classmates had 215-218 and this was the year Texas jumped 4 points to 219. If the school had not told them they did not make it, they would have agonized for 3 weeks.

I wonder if the homeschooled kids get letters stating all this too.

ctl987 · September 8, 2013, 7:48am

blue89, so with you on this long of a wait is impractical. I plan to write a letter to NM Corp or whatever they are called(yes I will look it up before I send it) that waiting 11 months after kids take the PSAT is silly in this day and age given technological advances and creates multiple problems for kids sitting on the fence and for kids who are not significantly higher than cutoffs. As probably most of our semi-finalists have scores closer to 218 than 230, this includes a lot of the semi-finalists (not to mention the numbers of commendeds who just missed it).

cuhope · September 8, 2013, 10:56am

My D has a close friend in NJ with a 224. Principal will not release information until 9/11, which is the 12th anniversary of his mom’s death at the WTC. If anyone can definitively confirm Liloreema’s post re MA having the highest cut-off at 224 it would be greatly appreciated. This boy & his dad could use some good news.

lagunal · September 8, 2013, 12:47pm

Just because a student makes the semi-finalist cut off does automatically mean the student will become a Finalist. Of course, most do. But if the SAT and PSAT scores are not consistent with each other, if the principal does not recommend the student (usually because of behavioral or attendance issues), if the school fails to send in the paperwork or if the student does not turn in the application to the school on time, then advancement will not take place.

At this point, if someone has made the cut-off but their SAT Score is not consistent, then this would be a good time to re-take the SAT in October. Basically, take the PSAT score and add a zero to the end… that should be the number you are aiming for. For example, if you had a 218 PSAT, then shoot for a 2180 on the SAT.

ROCKFISHDG · September 8, 2013, 1:16pm

Do you happen to know which state in region 4?

Never mind, I found (TX) it in the National Achievement thread :)

blnrule · September 8, 2013, 1:22pm

If I am not mistaken, the National Merit SAT validation score last year was “only” 1960 so, assuming that a Semifinalist’s PSAT performance was not a fluke, that should be doable.

Like texaspg, we knew our oldest son was in last year with a score that was well above any previous cutoffs. However, with another son having a 220 this year (exactly the highest cutoff ever in Washington State - reported in post #705) I really appreciate that our principal let us know that he has made it and we feel very fortunate in this year of cutoffs trending sharply upward. I really feel for all the folks on this board sweating it out and - though logically impossible - I hope you ALL get good news! Regardless, I am sure that all will have some excellent college options and scholarship opportunities.

Thanks to ROCKFISHDG for all of your work and congratulations on your daughter’s (if I remember correctly) success!

ROCKFISHDG · September 8, 2013, 1:30pm

updating National Achievement