Has anyone received the letter in the mail indicating that they are a National Merit Commended Scholar? The website states that a letter will be sent to the student’s home “at the end of September”. On a side note, with an Index of 218 in California, we are just waiting on the official letter to send out some apps since it’s listed as an 'honor" on my student’s Common App. Do we really need to wait?
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Same here, We haven’t received any so far, VA student with index of 220 , waiting for that letter
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Same for us in MA. I thought maybe it was because my son is homeschooled, so I’m actually glad to hear that other people have not received the letter yet either.
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Unless NMSC has changed the process since last year, you should check with your school. In past years, both my kids received their “Letter of Commendation” (which is actually a postcard, not a letter) directly from their school as the document is hand signed by the school Principal and machine signed by the NMSC President. To my recollection, nothing was received in the mail, although your school may mail it out after it’s signed locally.
I would also suggest not waiting on receipt of the formal recognition to submit college applications if this is going to be listed as an honor. The Selection Index Qualifying Score has already been released (commended has a national cutoff, not a number that varies by state like the semifinalist award), so there’s no remaining uncertainty for the Commendation level – you either qualified or you didn’t. No one is going to ask a student to show their printed postcard as proof so there is no need to wait.
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Thanks for the reply. Our National Merit Semifinalists were called in to the office on September 14th, but crickets for the Commended students.
Agreed that it seems silly to wait on sending in the app. Now I just have to convince my rule-follower D23 that it’s okay……
Quite a few students have reported receiving Commended notification, starting early this week. I suspect letters were sent to Principals early or mid-last week, and have been arriving this week.
Most should have been delivered by now, but may be sitting in a mail room or Inbox somewhere.
SF letters were initially received in early September, so if your school didn’t notify until 9/14, they either had delivery delays or were waiting on the public announcement embargo date (which doesn’t actually apply to them notifying students).
I haven’t seen a letter or press announcement for Commended, but a similar 9/28 embargo date wouldn’t surprise me.
(A quick Google shows many school announcements, as far back as last Wednesday - https://www.bethlehemschools.org/congratulations-2023-national-merit-commended-students/ )
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So I’m the OP and funny enough I just ran into D23’s guidance counselor at school and she said the school is presenting the Commended Scholars with their certificates tomorrow. Now all is right with the world. 
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