@mavian state cut off’s aren’t really annouced, they are “deduced” unless you can get your hands on the magic booklet. People will start figuring out the cut offs in September.
If the Texas cut off increases at all you’ll likely be able to hear my sobs all across the state. Good news for you, I think it’s highly unlikely that Texas will go up two points. Congradulations!
@3scoutsmom thank you, that makes sense. I searched all morning but found nothing about state cutoff info except Art’s blog. DD said the test was really hard. Praying with you that the cutoff stays the same.
D20 emailed me. The counselor called them in and gave them all their scores. D20 ended up being several points above last years state cutoff so I think we can all breath a sigh of relief around here.
DD just got PSAT SI 222 (she scored 1550 SAT)…hoping TX cutoff doesn’t get to 223 for NMF! Thought? I’ve read Art’s excellent blog.
txhoping, no way to know for sure of course but I think SI 222 will be good for Texas. The odds that it jumps two points (from 221 to 223) in one year are very slim; especially given the graduating class size for Texas being so large. 2 point swings almost always only happen in the smaller states.
@carmartwinmom Art usually gets wind of the Commended cutoff soon after the first schools get their letters in the spring. It is a loooooong wait from there to September and then to February when Finalists are announced. But, your kids will be busy applying to colleges in the fall and the time goes quicker than you’d expect.
Thank you! You bring up a good point with Texas being a larger state. It’s all we can do but wait now…Wishing everyone best of luck with NM process!
Will there be some kind of information come out about what score on the SAT and ACT is considered enough to be a confirming score?
I’m not understanding what you are all saying but my son got 1460 with a 760 in math and 700 in English for the junior PSAT. I found a table on the internet for the cut off score for our state was 1460 in 2017. If he doesn’t become eligible for the National Merit Scholarship afterall with this score, is there anything else he can do with it?
@BluEyeL, NM uses a selection index instead of cumulative PSAT score. The index is included in the score report, or you can calculate using a free online tool. If your son’s index is above your state’s cutoff from last year, chances are high he will be a NMSF this year. Index is calculated 1/3 weight of Math and 2/3 weight of Reading. Maximum index is 228.
Ah dang, he doesn’t qualify. Bummer. Because they take the English at a higher impact. Oh well. Anything else you can do with a decent PSAT score? In addition to just bragging to your friends?
"If he doesn’t become eligible for the National Merit Scholarship after all with this score, is there anything else he can do with it?
Even if its not good enough for NMSF (which it may or may not be depending on the state), it will be good enough for commended status, which is something he can put on college applications. Other than that, the PSAT score won’t do anything for your son. Also, the NM index score is in the score report, or you can calculate it yourself, it’s pretty simple.
Oh man. After DS scored so high on the SAT I was so confident that he would be NMSF, but he did not qualify. He’ll likely be in the the commended range which is still good enough in our family to stay on Santa’s nice list, and, of course, waaay better than my husband and I scored 30 years ago!
Congratulations to all of your children for their excellent scores and hard work!! I’m confident for the future that’s in their hands!!
DD should be a NMSF if there are not changes in our state cutoff. It’s going to be a long 9 months. 8-|
DD got a 224. Proud of her and starting to look at colleges with good NM awards.
@Redslp You sound like an awesome mom! Congrats to your high scoring son and know that I got a great giggle by your ‘thirty years ago’ comment…SO TRUE!
I have been anxiously awaiting my daughter s score and thank goodness she got a 224 which is 5 points above last years cutoff for Tennessee.
Now I am giving her a list of schools that she needs to consider because of their guaranteed money. This is a big weight off of my chest knowing she can get some schools mostly paid for.
Thanks @ asiancaucasian!
Slightly irritated. Wanted to get my daughter’s scores, form website, not Naviance. We are a Dec 12th release date. Still not up this morning. Really? Three days to get things out and you can’t update ours?
@Redslp My girl should get commended status!!! Woohoo!!! No cash prize, but a little academic recognition will be nice and it’ll be something else for her to add to her transcript / college apps in 9 months!