National Merit Cutoff

<p>AZ cutoff is 214</p>

<p>Does anyone know for sure the cutoff for Illinois?? Someone said it's 218 at least, but I got a 217 and yes this is kind of killing me.</p>

<p>re: post 306 from Willywanka/Jack--
Disappointing news! We're in the same boat. S. scored a 218 as well.</p>

<p>Got a 215 in Florida and just found out I'm a semifinalist. According to someone's previous post (I forget whose), someone in Florida who got a 214 did NOT become a semifinalist, so the cutoff for Florida is 215. (Whew!)</p>

<p>if you are telling the truth, you are my new best friend. i haven't found out yet, but i live in florida and got a 215. sooo... in theory i got it. thanks for the info</p>

<p>Someone PM'ed me about the AR cutoff needing clarification, so I think I should post a follow-up. My D was told the cutoff this year was 206; she made a 213. Two classmates who made 210 also made semifinalist here in Arkansas. One of her friends, who scored 202, did not make semi. So the cutoff is definitely somewhere above 202 and below 210. As I mentioned, the school officials told her it was 206.</p>

<p>1) Remember, these are UNOFFICIAL minimums, so don't get too happy or too unhappy until you get official confirmation.
2) Also remember, if you're monitoring this thread it probably means you or your child has high scores overall whether or not you/s/he makes Semifinalist. Being a Semifinalist doesn't seem to affect most college admissions -- most schools prefer to consider the longer, more recent, and more accurate SAT.</p>

<p>With those important caveats, here's what we've got as of now (please post if you have additional data points):
. . . . minimum . . change from
. . .<a href="in%20blue">color=blue</a> is:[/color] . .last year . . . . relevant post(s)
AL . . . . 212 . . . no change . . . posts #231 & #263 & #286
AZ . . . . 214 . . . +2 . . . . . . . . posts #321
AR . . . . 206 . . . no change . . . post #319 & #326
CA . . unconfirmed rumor of -1 decline to 216 . . post #282
FL . . . . 215 . . . no change . . . posts #274 & #277 & #324
HI . . . . 218 . . . +4 (-2 last yr) .post #271
IL . . .<=218 . . . ?? . . . . . . . . .posts #309 & #312
MS . .<=216 . . . min. lower? . . . private message
MO . . . .214 . . . +1 . . . . . . . . .post #234
NY . . >=219 . . . +1? . . . . . . . . post #306 (and no, the ">" is not a typo)
OH . . . .215 . . . no change . . . .posts #247 & #252
SC . . <=214 . . . 2006 unclear . .post #272
TN . . <=217 . . . +1 or less . . . .post #303
TX . . <=217 . . . no change? . . .post #227</p>

<p>AZSun, Thanks for posting the AZ cutoff info. How did you determine what the cutoff score is? Was it by knowing someone with a 214 that made it and 213 that did not, or by some other method. If you made it, congratulations!</p>

<p>The counselor told my son and others that the cutoff was 214. He received a 219. Pretty exciting!</p>

<p>Current posted scores are all in the average range, how about those states:
MA, MD, NJ, NY</p>

<p>Anyone know about PA?
I won't be able to find out for another 2 weeks!</p>

<p>VA also please??</p>

<p>Please realize that this is certainly not official info, but--</p>

<p>We heard from someone in guidance that this is the first time the NY cutoff has changed in the past three years, and that it went up by 4 or 5 points. Think it was 218(?) last year.</p>

<p>Once again, though, not official</p>

<p>Our principal just gave me the good news that my son is a semifinalist in Georgia. He scored a 221. She did not give me the Georgia minimum. Last year it was 218. Sorry I can't be of more help to others...</p>

<p>My son's guidance counselor told me that the Va cutoff is 220. Ok, now I whine. My son had that as a sophomore, but was sick the test day junior year and only got a 219. One day, one test- and now no money- whine whine.</p>

<p>I can confirm earlier posts that AL cutoff is <=212. My S. made 212 and today we received a letter from his HS inviting us to NMSF luncheon.</p>

<p>TJMOM</p>

<p>219/220 is not a low score, higher than average - 213/214
I am sure your son will be fine.
There are some states - MA, MD, NJ even higher
Kind of not fair.</p>

<p>Almost positive that NY cutoff is 221.</p>

<p>I got in! My school principal just left a message to congratulate me. My score was 228. Don't know what the minimum for the state is.</p>

<p>I would be more apt to go by Holycow's info--
Our counselor said he thought NY went up 4 or 5 points from last year, but wasn't in his office at the time, so must take it with a grain of salt. Only thing we're 100% sure of is that 218 didn't qualify.
Good luck to everyone who hasn't heard yet-</p>