Commended cut-off is 200!

Test Preparation
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<p>For everyone who doesn't know:
National Merit Commended- Nation wide honor- cut off is 200
National Merit Semi-finalist- By state- cut off depends on state 205-225 (usually- rural states closer to 205 urban states closer to 225)</p>

<p>If you have over 225 on the PSAT OR you are over your state's cut off, you should be named a National Merit Semifinalist.</p>

<p>If you don't have above your state's cut off, but greater than or equal to 200, you should be named commended.</p>

<p>YES the cut off went down from last year's 203 (I think) because the writing section was graded a little harder or something. THUS the state cutoffs can be expected to go down or stay at the same level.</p>

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<p>Is this the first time that there has been such a drop?</p>

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<p>Yes, it is the first time in recent times.</p>

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<p>only because they re-centered the writing though.</p>

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<p>It didn't follow it's normal trend even with the re-centered curve. According to CB, the new curve made writing scores 2-3 points lower; it looks closer to three, I believe. For the past several years, the commended cut-off has gone up exactly one. If it had followed it's usual pattern, the cut-off would have been 201 (up one from last year to 204, then down three for the new curve). I think, then, that scores were lower anyway, as it appears the cut-off without the new curve would have been the same. The new curve, of course, is not an exact science.</p>

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<p>Here is a link to a chart that compares the writing percentages of 2005 test takers to 2006 test takers. This explains why they lowered the the cut-off for commended status. It seems natural to me that semi would be lowered also (i.e. if a state has a trend of going up 2 points every year, this year it would go down 1 point). This of course is my opinion, and that doesn't mean a thing ;).</p>

<p><a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/counselors/psat/percentiles-from-2006-compared-to-2005.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/counselors/psat/percentiles-from-2006-compared-to-2005.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>If my twins each scored the cutoff (200), do we still need to reply to their letter we just got that requests the 2 schools each? From all of the reading I have been doing on this site, it appears as though their is no chance they will make it to semi or final. Is there any advantage to replying with schools? We live in Illinois</p>

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<p>I got a 199. This sucks!</p>

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<p>djsebran, it's a nice opportunity to express interest in their favorite (at this point) schools. Some schools track student interest very closely, particularly small LACs and schools that prefer not to accept students who "use" them as safeties. Notifying such schools of a student's interest may be beneficial down the road.</p>

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<p>soooo many ppl in my school got commended this yr, about twice as much as last yr. with the new curve, why would that happen??</p>

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<p>Maybe you had a smarter class this year? They pick roughly 50,000 (top of 96%) students. Maybe other schools in your state didn't have as many as last year.</p>

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<p>We had three times as many commended. That's just the way the cookie crumbles. ;)</p>