Can someone tell me how my D20 can send an ACT score to NMSC? She didn’t see it listed as an option to send scores there from ACT?
@janiemiranda I believe the NMSC code is 0085 but you can verify this on their website. When sending the scores, you use the NMSC code just like you would a college code to officially send the report. By the way, a pro-tip is to call the NMSC folks. They are very supportive and kind (I’m just a dad, not part of NMSC 
Does it matter if you send scores before NMSF are officially named? Does anyone know what the essay prompt will be?
Doesn’t matter if you send scores early - all three kids have sent scores beginning of Junior year without problem. The prompt doesn’t seem to change but you do have to wait to send in the easy as part of your application on their porthole. You don’t get log in information until after you are named semifinalist.
agree. and btw - NMSC allows (even encourages) students to use their existing original essays so this does not have to be incremental work!
@dpBU23 Thank you for the code and the tip! 
@mavian My DD is not planning to attend A&M either. This month she will be attending the research program at prestigious campus. Good luck with your college search and best wishes for a bright future !
@scoutsmom hopefully September brings good news and you can send one to the Sunshine state 
. UCF is beautiful !
@Phlipper I’d love to send one to FL but that’s just not going to happen, my youngest is dead set on joining his brother at UTD. My oldest briefly considered University of Miami but freaked out over the humidity and transporting her harp more than a days drive away. I lived all over FL and went to high school in Sorrento/Mt. Plymouth and toured UCF in 1982!
UCF is my Texas girl’s current front runner if she makes it to NMF. She thinks UTD is too much like her high school Her chances look pretty good I think - PSAT will definitely be NMSF qualifying, and she has a respectable if not first-rate GPA (basically a really low A unweighted average at a selective-admission magnet with a bunch of APs, no C’s on the transcript). We’re trying to toe the line between counting unhatched chickens and getting excited about the potential opportunities.
@drxxpresso In what ways does she feel like UTD is too much like her high school?
@drxxpresso I’d like to know also.
oh goodness, hope I can answer without offending anyone. It’s a soft of nerdy/techy cool, “kids from the chess club are taking over the world and are a bit manic about it” vibe. Obviously you can by no means pigeon hole an entire student body, but that’s kind of her high school and we got that vibe at UT-D. And there’s not a single thing wrong with that vibe, it just felt a little too familiar to her.
@drxxpresso No offense taken at all. Nerdy/techy would be pretty appealing to my kid so it is good to get your impressions. We haven’t been able to visit yet but DH and D20 plan to go down there this summer for a look.
@janiemiranda - will be interested to hear what they think. We were very impressed by the general tour at UT-D. We’ve only done a few college tours so far, but the UT-D tour guide seemed very knowledgable and included information on things like a detailed explanation of the pipeline for undergraduate research opportunities. Even if it turns out not to be a good fit for D20, I have a younger, comp sci-minded son for whom I think it would be perfect.
Hi parents. I’m a mom from TX and new to college confidential. I just read through some of this thread, and I must applaud your teens on their fabulous PSAT scores! Wow!
My DS is taking the PSAT in Oct 2020. He’s a very motivated kid and has a weighted GPA of 4.8 after just completing his freshman HS year. He took an entire practice SAT yesterday and scored a 1200. He’s not happy. ? I realize most of your kids are naturally good test takers, but do you have any recommendations for tutoring services or particular tutors (besides Khan academy)? We’re in the Houston area under HISD. This means a lot to my son, and I want him to at least have a chance to be competitive. Thanks and God bless!
@DesertPalm , does your school let the sophomores take the PSAT for practice this year? I would take the PSAT soph year and see where he is at, then take a PSAT/SAT prep class in the late summer/early fall just before junior year. You want a prep class with a lot of practice testing. Sure, you could have him take prep classes earlier or do the online Khan work, but IMO one class just before the junior PSAT is plenty. Then he can also take a fall 2020 SAT while the class is fresh, and have plenty of time to retake it as needed. No need to put undue pressure on him with constant prep over the next 1.5 years. If there is a particular area of weakness there are other things he can do to improve. He could read more for vocabulary, play math games online, etc…
My son has a SI of 221 in Florida, so we’re hoping he makes it to finalist, but don’t want to count our chickens before they hatch. How much weight is put on the essay to be finalist? Is it just score-based? He has always wanted UCF anyway, so the $2500 award isn’t his focus.
Can someone tell me if there is a code to send ACT scores to the National Merit Scholarship yet? I couldn’t find anything yet.
I am not sure but I don’t think you send it until they notify you that you are a semifinalist in September. It looks like last year the code was 0085
https://nationalmerit.imodules.com/s/1758/images/gid2/editor_documents/merit_r_i_leaflet.pdf?sessionid=b1fa315f-dce5-48b9-aa68-b1cf15a6d2a5&cc=1