Help with testing strategy for National merit finalist

Test Preparation
1

<p>I need help with understanding what is involved and strategy for being designated a National Merit finalist for my son. I also need help with timing of when to take the tests and what tests he should take.</p>

<p>He is a rising senior and has a 3.89 GPA weighted, 3.6 unweighted. He is interested in the most selective schools.
He got a 233 on the PSAT as a junior, in California with no prep at all. The highest threshold for our state has been 223 so he seems safely above that. He took the SAT with zero studying or prep during busy school work load and got a 2130. Is this SAT score enough to validate him as a NMF or should he retake it?</p>

<p>He got a perfect ACT score with minimal studying. He will take the SAT subject tests in the fall on the October 11 test date. </p>

<p>The plan is to submit the ACT score and the SAT subject test scores only. Does this seem like a good strategy? Should he retake the SAT in order to qualify as NMF or is 2130 good enough? </p>

2

<p>I need to add that he is planning to apply ED to one school by November 1st and probably EA to MIT, CalTech, Uchicago, UMichigan, Northeastern, Fordham, UC (UCSD, Berkeley, UCLA, UCSB), and UVA. He will apply RD as needed. </p>

3

<p>I’ve heard that National Merit Finalists just need an SAT score above 2000, so your son should be fine.</p>

4

<p>Thanks!!! I’ve looked and googled for that info and it was hard to find succinctly.</p>

5

<p>Yes, that is right around the certifying level for NMF. Make sure a copy of that score was sent to the CB for NMSQT.</p>

6

<p>My daughter became a NMF with a 2150 SAT. We had heard the threshold was in the 2000 range as well.</p>

7

<p>Thanks! Which score do you mean that I should check on, Erins’dad? Do they sometimes fail to correlate the scores? When should I check on it?</p>

8

<p>1203southview…What Erin’sDad was referring to was having your son’s SAT score sent to NMSC just like he would send it to any universities he is applying to. NMSC (code #0085 I believe) requires the “confirming” SAT score to be sent to them as part of the NMSF application package which his HS should be receiving in September of his senior year. You can send his score whenever you’d like, as long as it’s before the published deadline that you’ll be notified of in the SF package. </p>

9

<p>Thanks! I didn’t know that I had to send it, thought they did it automatically. I’ll get it done asap.</p>