Thank you for that clarification. I think they could address the controversy by mirroring the NMF process where they could have categories such as honorable mention (forgot what NMF calls it) semi-finalist and finalist so that colleges could adjust scholarships accordingly. They could still recognize 10% but at different levels.
2 Likes
I assume your daughter qualified for NMF though? It seems those stricter standards haven’t changed for that part of the college board program. So there definitely seems to be value in high-achievers taking the PSAT if that recognition is a priority or goal. Having said that, while it’s great there is some recognition attached to the PSAT, the main purpose is to help our kids prepare for the SAT, get a feel for the format, etc. I know it was helpful for my son and he felt more confident going into to his 1st SAT last weekend. We are only just learning about some of the potential PSAT recognition, so we look at it as a bonus if he ends up qualifying for the National Hispanic Merit recognition. And if he doesn’t, testing is just one part of the what colleges look for and he knows there are many ways to stand out as a candidate and it’s his job to market his strengths and talents and show he is well-rounded and would be a positive addition to a school in ways that go beyond one test score.
Not even close to NMSF in our state of NY. At 1420 she will be well below the cutoff.
NHRP is really now a nice title to add to a college resume. It’s not terrible as far as those things go.
Real power or NHRP used to be that it was treated like NMSF at a good number of schools- automatic scholarships and whatnot. That is like longer the case.
1 Like
We are also from NYS so very difficult to make the cut-off for NMF. But wow-she should be super proud of that score! If she lands in that range for the SAT, she’ll have great options for college no matter what, with excellent merit I’m sure. Congrats to her!
And are you SURE she won’t qualify as a semi-finalist? My friend’s son had a 1350 on Oct. 2020 (also in NYS) and he was recognized (received the notice in early September.) I know there is another category like honorable mention so maybe he got that, but pretty sure he was a semi-finalist because his school put out a press release with his picture and a few other students. Just saying not to give up hope.
Already did SAT and got a 1450- taking again shooting for 1500 with some real prep.
Unfortunately, scores like that are just the ante at this game- and that is tongue and cheek. 1500 gets you in the game but from there you need MANY additional 99%ile types of accomplishments, activities, EC’s. That is at least for the elite schools.
I love my kid. She won’t play that game. She will do what she loves and what interests her. She won’t live 4 years to pad a resume for some AO- despite my nudges. And she knows that means she probably doesn’t gain admissions at those schools.
1 Like
I highly recommend “Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania”.
I went to en elite T20 school for UG and G. I had to completely reorient my thinking and this allowed me to do so, resulting in a much more nuanced view of it all.
3 Likes
I am certain that 1350 (or 1420) gets you nowhere near the NMSF cutoff in NY. Even in a year like this where test takers are fewer than prior.
It very likely qualifies for National Merit Commended status. An honorable mention of sorts.
Just checked and my friend’s son was a “commended student” so was not in the semi-finalist category. But still a nice honor! Honestly, your daughter should just be herself, follow her interests and let her talents and skills naturally shine through. My daughter didn’t do well on these tests but is a very talented musician and enjoyed community service. One school she applied to-University of Miami-stressed that she would have a better shot at admission if she could get her ACT score up to X. That rubbed her the wrong way because she felt they were ignoring her other qualities and her strong audition. Others schools on her list, not as prestigious, openly recruited her and offered her excellent scholarships so she focused on those and found a great college home that appreciated her strengths and talents and didn’t focus on her weaknesses. Your daughter is obviously very bright and will find a college home that appreciates her for exactly who she is.
Thanks. The topic though- NHRP…
Get it at 1100, recognizes top 10% or so. No longer top 2.5%. So as an award, it is much more prevalent and as such, much less coveted and valued. Many schools have great automatic merit aid based on it- read very carefully as it is highly likely these will change or disappear now and in the near future.
Oh I definitely understand the shift in perception from “top 2.5%” to “top 10%” and how that changes the value in how scholarships are offered. I really think my solution of “tiers” could go a long way. So your daughter would likely be a finalist and my son might be a semi-finalist in the Hispanic category. And many would be “commended scholars.” So schools could see the distinction and might only offer those big scholarships to finalists in the Hispanic category but the other 8% will still get some recognition they could add to their resume and maybe it translates to a $500 or $1000 scholarship. I know an 1150 may not seem impressive, but being in the top 10% is a great accomplishment for many, especially a minority student who may not have had the resources of many other students. So it should not be discounted out of hand. Does it deserve a full scholarship to Alabama State? No, but recognition nonetheless. My daughter was selected for Honorable Mention in the National Young Arts competition (Pop Voice) by being in the top 10% of all national applicants for voice (7000 applicants, 700 chosen.) It came with an all-expenses paid week-long arts workshop in NYC, great connections, and really helped her get great college scholarships because “top 10%” was valued as a big accomplishment. Sure, the finalists were given many more perks and some even full rides in college but my point is just that top 10% is something to applaud and recognize, no matter if it’s in the Arts, PSAT, an engineering competition or sports.
3 Likes
Full tuition scholarship at Alabama? Yes for this year, see Diversity Merit Scholarship – Scholarships | The University of Alabama (ua.edu)
1 Like
Oh yeah, they are one of the few that are honoring their generous commitment:scholarships to the NHRP. That’s great news! My point was just that colleges probably don’t want to take away these great scholarships and want to recruit the top minority applicants but can they continue their full scholarship offers in the long-term for a 10% pool vs. a 2.5% pool? My guess is no. But if the college board restructures to allow for tiers of the NHRP award within that 10% it seems colleges are more apt to offer full scholarships to the finalists and other incentives to other levels of winners. Hope that makes sense.
3 Likes
BTW-Alabama was never on our radar. My son is looking for a school with great diversity and a welcoming atmosphere for all types of people (minorities, LGBTQ, etc.) I feel bad just assuming a college in Alabama would not fit such a description, but I am a bit surprised they are so committed to attracting top Hispanic scholars through such an amazing tuition incentive. Am I missing something? Maybe my perception of University of Alabama is way off? Or are they just working hard to become more diverse? It seems they are leading the pack on nice scholarships for NHRP so that must tell us something, right?
While there is concern about the future of scholarships based on this award, there still are plenty of schools giving scholarships. There is understandable concern about some reductions in scholarships at some schools (ASU for example). But plenty of school are still giving scholarships for it. So it is still more than just an award for the academic resume. Texas A&M gives an automatic guaranteed 4 year large partial scholarship to all CBNRP scholars - in and out of state. My daughter received her award for $6,000 a year for 4 years (which is about half the in state tuition) and they have a summer event, fall event, and spring event for national scholars. They have treated us very well. My daughter has been invited to many events including a recent leadership weekend for black and hispanic recently admitted students. We weren’t able to go to that one but we attended an overnight visit in the summer and they covered hotel and meals and gave her a bonus $500 scholarship at the event. There were about a dozen families in attendance.
3 Likes
That’s so reassuring to hear! I hope it continues to be a valued accomplishment (whether it be top 2.5% or top 10%) and colleges offer merit accordingly.
1 Like
To your point, you may be interested in this. TAMU has put a lot of money behind increasing diversity on campus. This was released in Jan 2021:
“Increase National Recognition Scholarships by 89 students per year for four years $7.5M”
" Expand National Scholars program to include the four National Recognition categories
established by the College Board: African American National Recognition Program, Hispanic
National Recognition Program, Indigenous National Recognition Program, and Rural and SmallTown Recognition Program. Grow to cohorts of 150 new students each year; $6,000 per student, and even more when leveraging other available programs and funds, renewable for four years, for total scholarship opportunity of $24,000. "
and more…
2 Likes
Thank you for this comprehensive list! Anyone have insight into Florida International University in Miami? My son doesn’t want a big school (it’s huge) but I think he’d get auto admission into their honors college which seems to be a small community within a big school (he’s open to honors colleges in general) plus he loves that over 50% of students are Hispanic with a good international presence too. Just thought I’d check to see if anyone has inside knowledge into the school.
Thanks! In February we find out if she is going to be awarded any additional scholarships. They stack the national scholar scholarship with the other academic scholarships they offer. 
1 Like
That’s wonderful! I notice many colleges have added a diversity department or leader in the past few years, yet the percentage of minority students doesn’t seem to change much so your example shows tangible goals and actions to get there. Hopefully other colleges follow suit!
1 Like