<p>When do you get the national merit commended certificate?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>One would think that on average a boarding school has more money per student that the average local public school in the area. Interesting they get to use the low cutoff score from the local public school. I’m sure this makes sense to someone.</p>
<p>It is shortsighted to think that high scoring students in Massachusetts (compared with the median national cutoff) are all students of privilege and opportunity. The MA public school system is funded by each town’s property taxes, so the spending on each pupil is quite variable depending on where you live in the state. My concern is for the “high scoring” (relative to a national median) student from a poorer school district. Looking at the distribution of NMSF within the state of MA is quite telling. It is a microcosym of the national landscape. Many MA students (who could really use it) lose out on scholarship opportunities afforded to other students from similar demographics and SES. This is an equity issue!</p>
<p>Regarding the semifinalists’ essay for the finalist application:
Instructions indicate 10 point font, but we can’t find anything about single or double spaced. Teachers hate reading single spaced, so dd is not sure what to do. She is assuming it is single spaced because double spaced would not leave much room for a decent essay. Any thoughts (or prior experience with an older kid on this)?</p>
<p>^I would think single-spaced, and in fact, that’s what my son turned in. You’re right – a single-spaced essay with 10 point font on half a page would not leave a whole lot of room for “substance!” :)</p>
<p>A little off topic, but what do the numbers mean next to the names of semifinalists?</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.ccsd.net/news/pdf/20100915-1613100717.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ccsd.net/news/pdf/20100915-1613100717.pdf</a></p>
<p>^Weird. I have no idea!</p>
<p>The number is the major interest code that the student put on the PSAT test.</p>
<p>I asked this same question two years ago. Here is a incomplete summary of the interest codes.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1063247311-post949.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1063247311-post949.html</a></p>
<p>Qualified in WV with a 230 but I doubt that helps narrow it down…</p>
<p>I know from reading this thread that my D has qualified as a semi-finalist (212 in Michigan), but her school has yet to notify her. Shouldn’t they have done so already???</p>
<p>
But it is nice to know someone in WV is reading this thread. If you could call the number below to get the cutoff score it would be even more helpful…</p>
<p>
Call the NMSC to confirm she has qualified. When confirmed, ask the school about it. As you can see from reading this and past threads, some schools either lose the information, are clueless about its significance, or even seemingly are pervesely reluctant about notifying qualifiers.</p>
<p>Here is the number to call—ask for Educational Services:</p>
<p>National Merit Scholarship Corporation
1560 Sherman Avenue
Suite 200
Evanston, Illinois 60201-4897
Main Telephone: (847) 866-5100
Main Fax: (847) 866-5113 </p>
<p>Updating Boarding School region, WV.</p>
<p>**AL=210<a href=“post%20222,%20per%20GC%20210%20is%20cutoff”>/B</a>
AK<=214 (post 62)
AZ<=229 (post 357)
**AR=203<a href=“post%20576,%20per%20?”>/B</a>
**CA=219<a href=“post%20560,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
CO<=213 (post 520)
**CT=219<a href=“post%20539,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**DC=223<a href=“post%20517,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**FL=210<a href=“post%20376,%20by%20firsthand%20view%20of%20NMS%20report”>/B</a>
**GA=215<a href=“post%20130,%20per%20Headmaster%20cutoff%20is%20215”>/B</a>
**HI=215<a href=“post%20320,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20215”>/B</a>
**ID=208<a href=“post%20554,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**IL=214<a href=“post%20472,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20214”>/B</a>
IN<=212 (post 336)
IA<=209 (post 50)
**KS=211<a href=“post%20229,%20per%20NMSF%20packet%20cutoff%20is%20211”>/B</a>
KY<=210 (post 92)
**LA=210<a href=“post%20533,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
ME<=218 (post 505)
**MD=220<a href=“%5Burl%5Dhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065560528-post14.html%5B/url%5D”>/B</a>
**MA=223<a href=“post%20515”>/B</a>
**MI=209<a href=“post%20526,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**MN=213<a href=“post%20564,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**MS=205<a href=“%5Burl%5Dhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065566477-post429.html%5B/url%5D”>/B</a>
**MO=210<a href=“post%20553,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**MT=208<a href=“post%2073,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20208”>/B</a>
**NE=210<a href=“post%20548,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20210”>/B</a>
NV<=211 (post 340)
**NJ=221<a href=“post%20269,%20heard%20cutoff%20was%20221”>/B</a>
NM<=211 (post 481)
**NY=217<a href=“post%20531,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
NC<=214 (post 314)
**ND=202<a href=“post%20564,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**OH=212<a href=“post%2054,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20212”>/B</a>
OK<=207 (post 588)
**OR=215<a href=“post%20524,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**PA=216<a href=“post%20523,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**RI=211<a href=“%5Burl%5Dhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065603417-post430.html%5B/url%5D,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
SC<=212 (post 504)
TN<=212 (post 220)
**TX=215<a href=“post%20528,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**UT=203<a href=“post%20502,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20203”>/B</a>
VT<=217 (post 297)
**VA=218<a href=“post%20546,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20218”>/B</a>
**WA=218<a href=“post%20343,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20218”>/B</a>
WV<=230 (post 610)
**WI=209<a href=“post%20527,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a></p>
<p>**Boarding school region with New England=223<a href=“post%20538,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**Boarding school region with TN=215<a href=“post%20530,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**Boarding school region with OH, IL, PA, MI=?215<a href=“post%20600,%20per%20GC,%20but%20since%20PA%20has%20a%20216%20cutoff,%20its%20best%20to%20be%20skeptical%20about%20either%20the%20score%20or%20the%20description%20of%20the%20region.”>/B</a></p>
<p>**Internationals=223<a href=“post%20398”>/B</a>
This usually is set to be equal to the highest cut-off score among the individual states.</p>
<p>Commended (national cutoff) = 201
Any person with a score equal to or higher than this cutoff who is not a NMSF receives commended status.</p>
<p>No scores reported yet from:
DE
NH
SD
WY
7 (?) boarding school regions
These usually are set to be equal to the highest cut-off score among the individual states in the region.</p>
<p>I called National Merit and the cutoff score for Arizona is 209, down a point from last year.</p>
<p>Here is the number to call—ask for Educational Services:</p>
<p>National Merit Scholarship Corporation
1560 Sherman Avenue
Suite 200
Evanston, Illinois 60201-4897
Main Telephone: (847) 866-5100
Main Fax: (847) 866-5113 </p>
<p>Updating AZ, SD.</p>
<p>**AL=210<a href=“post%20222,%20per%20GC%20210%20is%20cutoff”>/B</a>
AK<=214 (post 62)
**AZ=209<a href=“post%20613,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**AR=203<a href=“post%20576,%20per%20?”>/B</a>
**CA=219<a href=“post%20560,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
CO<=213 (post 520)
**CT=219<a href=“post%20539,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**DC=223<a href=“post%20517,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**FL=210<a href=“post%20376,%20by%20firsthand%20view%20of%20NMS%20report”>/B</a>
**GA=215<a href=“post%20130,%20per%20Headmaster%20cutoff%20is%20215”>/B</a>
**HI=215<a href=“post%20320,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20215”>/B</a>
**ID=208<a href=“post%20554,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**IL=214<a href=“post%20472,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20214”>/B</a>
IN<=212 (post 336)
IA<=209 (post 50)
**KS=211<a href=“post%20229,%20per%20NMSF%20packet%20cutoff%20is%20211”>/B</a>
KY<=210 (post 92)
**LA=210<a href=“post%20533,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
ME<=218 (post 505)
**MD=220<a href=“%5Burl%5Dhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065560528-post14.html%5B/url%5D”>/B</a>
**MA=223<a href=“post%20515”>/B</a>
**MI=209<a href=“post%20526,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**MN=213<a href=“post%20564,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**MS=205<a href=“%5Burl%5Dhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065566477-post429.html%5B/url%5D”>/B</a>
**MO=210<a href=“post%20553,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**MT=208<a href=“post%2073,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20208”>/B</a>
**NE=210<a href=“post%20548,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20210”>/B</a>
NV<=211 (post 340)
**NJ=221<a href=“post%20269,%20heard%20cutoff%20was%20221”>/B</a>
NM<=211 (post 481)
**NY=217<a href=“post%20531,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
NC<=214 (post 314)
**ND=202<a href=“post%20564,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**OH=212<a href=“post%2054,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20212”>/B</a>
OK<=207 (post 588)
**OR=215<a href=“post%20524,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**PA=216<a href=“post%20523,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**RI=211<a href=“%5Burl%5Dhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065603417-post430.html%5B/url%5D,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
SC<=212 (post 504)
**SD=205<a href=“post%20614,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
TN<=212 (post 220)
**TX=215<a href=“post%20528,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**UT=203<a href=“post%20502,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20203”>/B</a>
VT<=217 (post 297)
**VA=218<a href=“post%20546,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20218”>/B</a>
**WA=218<a href=“post%20343,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20218”>/B</a>
WV<=230 (post 610)
**WI=209<a href=“post%20527,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a></p>
<p>**Boarding school region with New England=223<a href=“post%20538,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**Boarding school region with TN=215<a href=“post%20530,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
Boarding school region with OH, IL, PA, MI=?215 (post 600, per GC, but since PA has a 216 cutoff, its best to be </p>
<p>skeptical about either the score or the description of the region.)</p>
<p>**Internationals=223<a href=“post%20398”>/B</a>
This usually is set to be equal to the highest cut-off score among the individual states.</p>
<p>Commended (national cutoff) = 201
Any person with a score equal to or higher than this cutoff who is not a NMSF receives commended status.</p>
<p>No scores reported yet from:
DE
NH
WY
7 (?) boarding school regions
These usually are set to be equal to the highest cut-off score among the individual states in the region.</p>
<p>New Mexico’s cut off is 206. I called NM and asked!</p>
<p>DD asked the GC about her semifinalist packet today, and the GC said they hadn’t got anything in the mail yet. Huh? I called National Merit and they said the school will have to request a duplicate packet in case there is more than just my DD that needs a packet. The lady at NM also said that the commended letters had not been mailed out yet. This is scary.</p>
<p>Remaining states that need to be finalized:
AK, CO, DE, IN, IA, KY, ME, NV, NH, NC, OK, SC, TN, VT, WV, WY</p>
<p>Here is the number to call—ask for Educational Services:</p>
<p>National Merit Scholarship Corporation
1560 Sherman Avenue
Suite 200
Evanston, Illinois 60201-4897
Main Telephone: (847) 866-5100
Main Fax: (847) 866-5113 </p>
<p>Updating NM.</p>
<p>**AL=210<a href=“post%20222,%20per%20GC%20210%20is%20cutoff”>/B</a>
AK<=214 (post 62)
**AZ=209<a href=“post%20613,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**AR=203<a href=“post%20576,%20per%20?”>/B</a>
**CA=219<a href=“post%20560,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
CO<=213 (post 520)
**CT=219<a href=“post%20539,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**DC=223<a href=“post%20517,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**FL=210<a href=“post%20376,%20by%20firsthand%20view%20of%20NMS%20report”>/B</a>
**GA=215<a href=“post%20130,%20per%20Headmaster%20cutoff%20is%20215”>/B</a>
**HI=215<a href=“post%20320,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20215”>/B</a>
**ID=208<a href=“post%20554,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**IL=214<a href=“post%20472,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20214”>/B</a>
IN<=212 (post 336)
IA<=209 (post 50)
**KS=211<a href=“post%20229,%20per%20NMSF%20packet%20cutoff%20is%20211”>/B</a>
KY<=210 (post 92)
**LA=210<a href=“post%20533,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
ME<=218 (post 505)
**MD=220<a href=“%5Burl%5Dhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065560528-post14.html%5B/url%5D”>/B</a>
**MA=223<a href=“post%20515”>/B</a>
**MI=209<a href=“post%20526,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**MN=213<a href=“post%20564,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**MS=205<a href=“%5Burl%5Dhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065566477-post429.html%5B/url%5D”>/B</a>
**MO=210<a href=“post%20553,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**MT=208<a href=“post%2073,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20208”>/B</a>
**NE=210<a href=“post%20548,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20210”>/B</a>
NV<=211 (post 340)
**NJ=221<a href=“post%20269,%20heard%20cutoff%20was%20221”>/B</a>
**NM=206<a href=“post%20615,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**NY=217<a href=“post%20531,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
NC<=214 (post 314)
**ND=202<a href=“post%20564,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**OH=212<a href=“post%2054,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20212”>/B</a>
OK<=207 (post 588)
**OR=215<a href=“post%20524,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**PA=216<a href=“post%20523,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**RI=211<a href=“%5Burl%5Dhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065603417-post430.html%5B/url%5D,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
SC<=212 (post 504)
**SD=205<a href=“post%20614,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
TN<=212 (post 220)
**TX=215<a href=“post%20528,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**UT=203<a href=“post%20502,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20203”>/B</a>
VT<=217 (post 297)
**VA=218<a href=“post%20546,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20218”>/B</a>
**WA=218<a href=“post%20343,%20per%20GC%20cutoff%20is%20218”>/B</a>
WV<=230 (post 610)
**WI=209<a href=“post%20527,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a></p>
<p>**Boarding school region with New England=223<a href=“post%20538,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**Boarding school region with TN=215<a href=“post%20530,%20per%20NMSC”>/B</a>
**Boarding school region with OH, IL, PA, MI=?215<a href=“post%20600,%20per%20GC,%20but%20since%20PA%20has%20a%20216%20cutoff,%20its%20best%20to%20be%20skeptical%20about%20either%20the%20score%20or%20the%20description%20of%20the%20region.”>/B</a></p>
<p>**Internationals=223<a href=“post%20398”>/B</a>
This usually is set to be equal to the highest cut-off score among the individual states.</p>
<p>Commended (national cutoff) = 201
Any person with a score equal to or higher than this cutoff who is not a NMSF receives commended status.</p>
<p>No scores reported yet from:
DE
NH
WY
7 (?) boarding school regions
These usually are set to be equal to the highest cut-off score among the individual states in the region.</p>
<p>PA score jumped up 2 points. I’m pretty surprised.</p>
<p>Er, has anyone gotten their packets yet? We were supposed to turn in our packets Sept. 11, yet I haven’t even recieved mine. I will ask tomorrow, but the schools should have them by now, right?</p>
<p>You don’t need to turn things in until much later than 9/11 - the real deadline is in October sometime. Schools in MA that I happen to know about are just starting to hand things out. We just got a letter with a code for the website.</p>