Class of 2014 NMSF Qualifying scores

Descartesz · September 9, 2013, 11:48am

Although the NMSC has not been forthcoming on this point, it is my informed speculation that they do not allow this to happen. It seems that the commended cut-off is the absolute floor for state NMSF cut-offs regardless of whether the allocated NMSF slots for that state have been filled. My evidence? In most years at least one state (usually WY) has a cut-off equal to the commended cutoff and in no year for which I have seen data has a state cut-off been less than the commended cut-off.

MomBof3 · September 9, 2013, 11:49am

I think the link changed - try [FairTest</a> Press Release: National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Scores Vary Greatly State-By State | FairTest](<a href=“http://www.fairtest.org/fairtest-press-release-national-merit-scholarship-2013]FairTest”>http://www.fairtest.org/fairtest-press-release-national-merit-scholarship-2013) - I found it by just doing a search on their site.

If this is correct, then my son, with a 221 in NJ doesn’t make it. Wishing we lived in a neighboring state at this point or any of the other 40 something states that his score was good enough in. Bummed…

ROCKFISHDG · September 9, 2013, 11:54am

Updated

please double check me :)

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:

**AL=211<a href=“post%20#872%20%5Bb%5D+2%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**AK=212<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+8%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**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=223<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**CO=215<a href=“tweet%20from%20CO%20principal%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**CT=221<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**DE=218<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**DC=224<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**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<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+4%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**ID=211<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+4%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**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=215<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+5%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**MD=223<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+4%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**MA=224<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**MI=210<a href=“post%20#1012,%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**MN=215<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+2%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**MS=207<a href=“post%20#949,%20per%20GC%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**MO=213<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**MT=207<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+4%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**NE=209<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+2%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**NV=212<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+4%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**NH=214<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**NJ=224<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**NM=210<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+2%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**NY=219<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+4%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**NC=215<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+2%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**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<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+5%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**PA=217<a href=“per%20posts%20#706%20&%20#856%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**RI=216<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+5%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**SC=210<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+2%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**SD=206<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+2%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**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=208<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**VT=217<a href=“per%20post%20#1032%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**VA=222<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+5%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**WA=220<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+4%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**WV=203<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**WI=210<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>
**WY=203<a href=“posts%20#1115/1134%20%5Bb%5D+3%5B/b%5D”>/b</a>

5(?) Boarding school regions

**Midwest
IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, OH, TX, WI region=219<a href=“per%20post%20#781”>/b</a>

West
AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY region =223

Southeast
AR, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN, WV region =217

New England (?)
CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT region =224

Mid-Atlantic (?)
DE, DC, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA region =224

Leaving three without a definite home:
IL, HI, KY (HI has one boarding school, KY two, IL two)

I am inclined to think, in spite of the news releases, that KY belongs to the Southeast or Midwest region, HI to the West, and IL to the Midwest.

Of course there is no guarantee that in the future these regions won’t be re-grouped without notice by the NMSC.

<hr>

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

Internationals=224<a href="+3">b</a>**
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<=196 in IA (post #1144)
5=?

Outstanding participants(National)<=186 (per lowest NASF Cutoff so far)

anon39653830 · September 9, 2013, 11:58am

196 region 4 NA, IA speficialy

Soooo relived, but so anti-climatic at the same time.

Pyrrhic · September 9, 2013, 12:00pm

The Student Guide’s description of the program is also consistent with Descartesz inference:

“50,000 High Scorers. NMSC uses PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index scores (the sum of critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills scores) to determine participants who qualify for program recognition. In April 2013, high-scoring participants from every state will be offered the opportunity to be referred to colleges and universities by NMSC.”

“16,000 Semifinalists. In early September 2013, nearly a third of the 50,000 high scorers will be notified that they have qualified as Semifinalists.”

The commended cutoff selects the initial pool. The semifinalists are selected from that pool “of the 50,000 high scorers.”

ROCKFISHDG · September 9, 2013, 12:03pm

@yoskis

got it, thanks! Thanks for helping with NA here :)

ROCKFISHDG · September 9, 2013, 12:08pm

Well that was a trip! How ironic that the puzzle would be completed by an anti-testing advocacy group :D

Many thanks to all who contributed, we had it right almost all along :)

Congrats to all that made it & best wishes to those that didn’t.

Parents: Continue to be your child’s biggest advocate!
Kids: Good luck as you move on to college soon, do good work!

Cheers all!

altalomadad · September 9, 2013, 12:22pm

Thanks, Rockfishdg, for all your work. You made this roller coaster ride a lot smoother. I also wrote to that website expressing my opinion of their article but I am sure I am talking to a wall.

ProudNHMom · September 9, 2013, 12:22pm

Thank you so much ROCKFISHDG for all your efforts with this thread!!

texaspg · September 9, 2013, 12:44pm

Ok what the heck happened in Alaska?

Did a whole bunch of bright kids relocate there in order to get into tough to get into schools?

ROCKFISHDG · September 9, 2013, 12:46pm

Updated with US Territories

<ul>
<li>please double check me :)</li>
</ul>

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

5(?) Boarding school regions
**Midwest
IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, OH, TX, WI region=219<a href=“per%20post%20#781”>/b</a>

West
AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY region =223

Southeast
AR, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN, WV region =217

New England (?)
CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT region =224

Mid-Atlantic (?)
DE, DC, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA region =224

Leaving three without a definite home:
IL, HI, KY (HI has one boarding school, KY two, IL two)
I am inclined to think, in spite of the news releases, that KY belongs to the Southeast or Midwest region, HI to the West, and IL to the Midwest.

<h2>Of course there is no guarantee that in the future these regions won’t be re-grouped without notice by the NMSC. </h2>

Internationals=224 <a href="+3">b</a>**
This usually is set to be equal to the highest cut-off score among all the individual states.

US Territories=203 <a href="+3">b</a><a href=“Puerto%20Rico,%20Northern%20Mariana%20Islands,%20US%20Virgin%20Islands,%20American%20Samoa,%20Guam%20&%20Minor%20Outlying%20Islands”>/b</a>
This usually is set to be equal to the lowest 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.

<hr>

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<=196 in IA (post #1144)
5=?
Outstanding participants(National)<=186 (per lowest NASF Cutoff so far)

bjxiaodizhu · September 9, 2013, 2:06pm

@ROCKFISHDG, thank you for the excellent work!

PortlandiaParent · September 9, 2013, 2:17pm

Wow! Alaska up 8?? Maine, Oregon, Rhode Island and Virginia up 5? Those are some BIG jumps!

ROCKFISHDG · September 9, 2013, 2:32pm

^ Remember, last year was a DOWN year… I’ll work on & repost a version vis a vis historical highs (which are mostly 2012 & 2007)

mom2collegekids · September 9, 2013, 2:53pm

Is it just a coincidence by the Commended score and WV cut-off have been the same the last couple of years. I may be mistaken, but it seems that way.

cuhope · September 9, 2013, 2:54pm

Thank you Rockfishdg for undertaking this Herculean task & doing it so well! The waiting was excruciating & was only bearable because of the sense of community generated by this site.

wemel · September 9, 2013, 3:02pm

2007

ca: 219
md: 223
ma: 224
nj: 223
ny: 221

BSMD2014 · September 9, 2013, 4:20pm

I just called NM, they said they would release the cut off score this Wednesday. But my D texted me today she received the letter from the school that she is one of the semi-finalists in her school.

ROCKFISHDG · September 9, 2013, 4:31pm

2014 Qualifying score & change from all time previous high.

**AL=211<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202007%20&%202006%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**AK=212<a href="%5Bb%5D-2%20from%202011%20&%201999%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**AZ=214<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202007%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**AR=205<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202007%20&%202006%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**CA=223<a href="%5Bb%5D+1%20from%202012%5B/b%5D">/b</a> ALL TIME HIGH
**CO=215<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202007%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**CT=221<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202007%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**DE=218<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202010%20&%20more%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**DC=224<a href="%5Bb%5D+1%20from%202012%20&%20more%5B/b%5D">/b</a> ALL TIME HIGH
**FL=214<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202007%20&%202006%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**GA=217<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202012%20&%20more%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**HI=215<a href="%5Bb%5D-3%20from%202007%20&%202001%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**ID=211<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202012%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**IL=216<a href="%5Bb%5D-2%20from%202007%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**IN=215<a href="%5Bb%5D+1%20from%202012%5B/b%5D">/b</a> ALL TIME HIGH
**IA=210<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202012%20&%202006%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**KS=216<a href="%5Bb%5D+1%20from%202006%5B/b%5D">/b</a> ALL TIME HIGH
**KY=211<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202012%20&%20more%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**LA=209<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202013%20&%20more%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**ME=215<a href="%5Bb%5D+1%20from%202005%20&%201999%5B/b%5D">/b</a> ALL TIME HIGH
**MD=223<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202007%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**MA=224<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202007%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**MI=210<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202007%20&%202006%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**MN=215<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202012%20&%20more%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**MS=207<a href="%5Bb%5D+2%20from%202012%20&%202011%5B/b%5D">/b</a> ALL TIME HIGH
**MO=213<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202007%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**MT=207<a href="%5Bb%5D-4%20from%202006%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**NE=209<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202011%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**NV=212<a href="%5Bb%5DUnsure%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**NH=214<a href="%5Bb%5D-3%20from%202006%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**NJ=224<a href="%5Bb%5D+1%20from%202012%20&%202007%5B/b%5D">/b</a> ALL TIME HIGH
**NM=210<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202010%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**NY=219<a href="%5Bb%5D-2%20from%202007%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**NC=215<a href="%5Bb%5D-2%20from%202012%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**ND=204<a href="%5Bb%5D-4%20from%202004%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**OH=215<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202007%20&%202006%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**OK=210<a href="%5Bb%5D+1%20from%202012%5B/b%5D">/b</a> ALL TIME HIGH
**OR=218<a href="%5Bb%5D+2%20from%202012%5B/b%5D">/b</a> ALL TIME HIGH
**PA=217<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202007%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**RI=216<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202010%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**SC=210<a href="%5Bb%5D-3%20from%202005%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**SD=206<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202012%20&%20more%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**TN=212<a href="%5Bb%5D-5%20from%202007%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**TX=219<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202012%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**UT=208<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202012%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**VT=217<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202006%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**VA=222<a href="%5Bb%5D+2%20from%202012%20&%20more%5B/b%5D">/b</a> ALL TIME HIGH
**WA=220<a href="%5Bb%5DUnchanged%20from%202012%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**WV=203<a href="%5Bb%5D-3%20from%202006%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**WI=210<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202007%20&%20more%5B/b%5D">/b</a>
**WY=203<a href="%5Bb%5D-1%20from%202012%20&%20more%5B/b%5D">/b</a>

Commended (national cutoff) = 203 (Unchanged from 2007)
Internationals=224 <a href=“Unchanged%20from%202007”>b</a>**

Mrspepper · September 9, 2013, 5:39pm

Would all schools have received their notification by now? Why would the schools delay in telling the kids that they made it? I don’t want to be helicopter-ish and ask but it is driving me crazy.

Thread		Replies	Views
Predictive Scores on PSAT 8/9 National Merit Aid	3	993	December 7, 2022
Official National Merit Semifinalist Qualifying Score Thread for the Class of 2013 National Merit Aid	1000	4869	April 18, 2021
Class of 2023 National Merit discussion National Merit Aid	966	85822	October 19, 2023
National Merit Commended National Merit Aid scholarships , national-merit	8	2963	May 15, 2022
California- National Merit Semi-finalists Class of 2010 SAT Preparation	7	74	April 16, 2021

Class of 2014 NMSF Qualifying scores

POPULAR STATES

SEARCH SAT SCORES

SEARCH ACT SCORES

SEARCH GPA’S

***Class of 2014 NMSF Qualifying scores***

Related Topics

POPULAR STATES

SEARCH SAT SCORES

SEARCH ACT SCORES

SEARCH GPA’S

CONNECT WITH US

Class of 2014 NMSF Qualifying scores