***Class of 2017 NMSF/NMF Qualifying Scores

Paying for College National Merit Aid
1

Class of 2017 Qualifying Scores

Since we are getting close to starting to receive official results, I thought I’d start the annual thread.

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

AL=
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DE=
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FL=
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ID=
IL=
IN=
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KY=
LA=
ME=
MD=
MA=
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MN=
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NE=
NV=
NH=
NJ=
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NY=
NC=
ND=
OH=
OK=
OR=
PA=
RI=
SC=
SD=
TN=
TX=
UT=
VT=
VA=
WA=
WV=
WI=
WY=

  1. Boarding school regions
    Midwest
    IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, OH, TX, WI region=

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

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

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

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

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

US Territories=
(Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam & Minor Outlying Islands)
This usually is set to be equal to the lowest cut-off score among all the individual states.

Commended (national cutoff) = 209
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.

This is for results only.

If you have questions or thoughts but not actual scores to report - please post on this thread:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1849640-national-merit-cutoff-predictions-class-of-2017.html#latest

2

Here’s how people have updated the qualifying score list in the past.

Most of the posts we’ll see are something like “I’m homeschooled and 225 made it in CA”, which would look like this:

CA <=225 (post #6000, homeschool letter)

Or, if a post says a score of 215 didn’t qualify in CA, you could modify that line as follows:

CA 215<n<=225 (post #6000, homeschool letter; post #6010, email from principal)

3

IL <=222 (homeschool letter)

4

TX <=221 (letter to school)

5

Did someone say Texas score is 221

6

“TX <= 221” means that the texas cutoff is at most 221. It could be 221, it could be 220 - it could be as low as 209 (the commended score). But it’s not 222 or higher. If you got a 221 or higher, in TX you’re golden. If you got less than a 221 - you still don’t know.

The most common piece of evidence we get early on is notification that a child made it. Which only shows the upper bound on the cutoff. IOW, anyone with at least that score in that state is guaranteed to also make it.

We won’t know lower bounds on cutoffs until we start finding out people that definitely did not make it - which is harder to come by.

7

Right – Texas is predicted at about 219 – so will help to see if we hear from anyone with that score!!

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@thshadow Is 209 always the commended score? Or is that also a prediction?

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209 confirmed as the commended score via numerous phone calls to NMSC.

10

No, the 209 is confirmed as being commended this year.

11

Can we try to keep this thread on point? Post here IF and ONLY IF you received a letter from the NMSC.

12

So are yall 100% sure the cutoff for Texas is not higher than 221?

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@geothomas1 yes

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AL=
AK=
AZ=
AR=
CA=
CO=
CT=
DE=
DC=
FL=
GA=
HI=
ID=
IL= <=222 (homeschool letter) post#2
IN=
IA=
KS=
KY=
LA=
ME=
MD=
MA=
MI=
MN=
MS=
MO=
MT=
NE=
NV=
NH=
NJ=
NM=
NY=
NC=
ND=
OH=
OK=
OR=
PA=
RI=
SC=
SD=
TN=
TX= <=221 (letter to school) post#3
UT=
VT=
VA=
WA=
WV=
WI=
WY=

  1. Boarding school regions
    Midwest
    IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, OH, TX, WI region=

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

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

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

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

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

US Territories=
(Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam & Minor Outlying Islands)
This usually is set to be equal to the lowest cut-off score among all the individual states.

Commended (national cutoff) = 209
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.

15

<= 221 NY Homeschooler

16

OK, so what we have so far looks like this. Others can also copy, paste, and update.

AL=
AK=
AZ=
AR=
CA=
CO=
CT=
DE=
DC=
FL=
GA=
HI=
ID=
IL <=222 (homeschool letter) post #2
IN=
IA=
KS=
KY *possible <=215/i
LA=
ME=
MD=
MA=
MI=
MN=
MS=
MO=
MT=
NE=
NV=
NH=
NJ=
NM=
NY <= 221 (homeschool letter) post #14
NC=
ND=
OH <=217 (post #5888 in cutoff predictions thread)
OK=
OR=
PA=
RI=
SC=
SD=
TN=
TX <=221 (letter to school) post#3
UT=
VT=
VA=
WA=
WV=
WI=
WY=

Boarding school regions
Midwest (IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, OH, TX, WI) =
West (AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY) =
Southeast (AR, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN, WV) =
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) =
Mid-Atlantic (DE, DC, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA) =
International=
US Territories=

Commended (national cutoff) = 209

17

Post 5924 from the other thread:

Today at 12:14 pm
217 Florida. Just got contacted by GC

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@CallOfDucky

18

AL=
AK=
AZ=
AR=
CA=
CO=
CT=
DE=
DC=
FL= <= 217 (post 5924 in cutoff predictions thread)
GA=
HI=
ID=
IL <=222 (homeschool letter) post #2
IN=
IA=
KS=
KY possible <=215 (ambiguous post on CompassPrep by Mary)
LA=
ME=
MD=
MA=
MI=
MN=
MS=
MO=
MT=
NE=
NV=
NH=
NJ=
NM=
NY <= 221 (homeschool letter) post #14
NC=
ND=
OH <=217 (post #5888 in cutoff predictions thread)
OK=
OR=
PA=
RI=
SC=
SD=
TN=
TX <=221 (letter to school) post#3
UT=
VT=
VA=
WA=
WV=
WI=
WY=

Boarding school regions
Midwest (IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, OH, TX, WI) =
West (AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY) =
Southeast (AR, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN, WV) =
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) =
Mid-Atlantic (DE, DC, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA) =
International=
US Territories=

Commended (national cutoff) = 209

19

Post 5934 on the other thread from an established regular poster. looks like 221 is a confirmed upper bound for TX:

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19903196/#Comment_19903196

Today at 12:55 pm
Texas with 221. Just got word we are in!!!
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@Tgirlfriend

20

From a post on Compass Prep just now:

“My son just texted me from school here in TN. He is a SF. His score was 218.”