<p>I'm very curious about this. I got a 211 in AZ, and because it was 98th percentile (212 was 99) I sort of assumed I wouldn't get semi-finalist/finalist. However, I'm hearing rumor that 211 may still be semi-finalist. I'm at least commended. How do schools look at being commended? How do schools look at being a NMF? I've been told its something that definitely gives you a big push into top schools, but it seems a bit simplistic to me. Thoughts?</p>
<p>Nearly all schools like to brag about all the NM SF/F they enroll. It's a smaller boost at the very top schools but can be a significant boost for andmission at schools that are on the make and looking to upgrade the stats of their incoming students. Some mid and lower tier schools offer generous automatic merit scholarships to NM semifinalists.</p>
<p>Awesome. My number one choice is Georgetown, which is obviously top-tier but no HYPS.</p>
<p>When it comes to the very top schools -- HPYS -- it's not important because they are flooded with apps from NM scholars so being a NM scholar does not make one stand out in their pool. Of course, the same is true for being commended. Such schools also know that probably the overwhelming majority of their students have the smarts to be NM scholar or commended even if they didn't score at that level on the PSAT.</p>
<p>I would think that Georgetown -- a great school, but not yet in the ranks of the schools that are the top of the list in terms of competitiveness -- would be happy, however, to snag NM scholars. Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>I found out officially today, I'm a NM Finalist :) Just made the cutoff. I'm really excited, a great thing to add to my resume.</p>
<p>Most state public schools will gave you a substantial amount of money. For schools like HYPSM, it's a good distinction but won't affect your application really. For Georgetown, I think it would be a boost.</p>
<p>Quick quesition...whats HYPSM</p>
<p>Harvard Yale Princeton Stanford MIT I believe.</p>
<p>actually, it stands for Haverford, Pomona, Swarthmore, and Middlebury. They just added the Y so it can stand in as a vowel. ;) jk</p>
<p>haha nice, Ivy Hopeful.</p>
<p>salpert you aren't a NM Finalist yet, you're if anything a NM Semi-finalist. Finalists are chosen till you're a semi and give all the application materials.</p>
<p>I would think semi-finalist means just as much as finalist on an application.
1) Finalists are not announced until February, and since that's after the application deadline for most schools, you really can't put it on an application, but passing along finalist status as an addendum would be a good idea.
2) About 95% of semi-finalists end up being finalists. Colleges know this and with the exception of not filing out the finalist paperwork, the school can pretty much tell from GPA, SAT, and an essay whether you will make finalist.</p>
<p>I wish I lived in Texas...got a 218 and did not even get a commended :(</p>
<p>Curse you all and your fast mail.</p>
<p>derrick, ur kidding right? nm was 215 this year.</p>
<p>I'm from NY and haven't gotten any mail yet. But I actually just read up on commended scholars and might get that :) With a 218 however, I'm not sure if I can get semifinalist. Not in the Empire State :(</p>
<p>o oops i thought u said u were from texas haha. my bad. ull get commended though. u shuld already kno that by now. they sent the notification thing last year</p>
<p>I did not get any commended notification :</p>
<p>When should semi-finalists be decided? I'm in MA</p>
<p>Semi-finalists will be officially announced Sept 12th, but many schools are notifying them already. My school actualy ended up telling us today, I made semi-finalist :) And SF is basically F due to almost everyone moving on to being a Finalist and on applications no one can even write they're a finalist, only semi-finalist.</p>
<p>Some schools don't give the commended notifications until the spring awards ceremonies. That's what one of my Ss' schools did. Others may not give those notices until after they give the semifinalist ones since the semifinalist ones require the students to submit an application. If you were in the top 50,000 scorers, but didn't get notification of being a semifinalist or know that you didn't make the semifinalist cut for your state, you're commended.</p>