<p>There is another thread on here about National Merit Help, but I didn't want to hijack it with a different question so I figured I'd start a new thread. When I took the PSATs this year as a junior, I wasn't sure yet if I'd be graduating early, and didn't mark it on my form or anything. The deal was that basically I would apply to my reach schools only and return to senior year if I was rejected by all three. I was admitted to my top choice, however, and thus will be graduating this year instead of next. I'm not quite sure if I qualified for National Merit since we find out in September---I scored 221 and live in WA. However, since techincally if one qualifies one is notified through his/her high school and I won't be in high school anymore, is there anything I'm supposed to be doing now, such as calling? There's limited info on the website. </p>
<p>Yes, in WA with 221 you will be an NMSF. Congrats. My son also skipped his senior year. When your high school forwards the paperwork for you (I would call the school secretary in early Sept to give her the address), just fill it out and do the essay, say somewhere that you are already in college, send the college's first semester grades to NM, and you'll be done. They even accepted my son's essay several weeks late ("we make special accommodations for our semi-finalists who are already in college" "how many is that?" "a few hundred").</p>
<p>Thank you. =) I'll be attending Brown University this fall. </p>
<p>A few hundred go to college early each year? I had no idea there were that many. That's heartening. Thanks for answering my question, I now know what I need to know. I knew asking on the Parents Forum would be the best bet...dmd77, if you don't mind me asking, how did it go for your son, esp. going to college a year early also?</p>
<p>My son will be graduating from MIT next week (oh my god), after 3 1/2 years. </p>
<p>At MIT, he found academic challenge for the first time in his life. Still, the courses were not the best part of college for him; he really enjoyed his on-campus jobs and projects. Of course, he had nothing to do with any of the interesting hacks that were done while he was there. </p>
<p>Many many people go to college early. In Washington state, with its Running Start program, 1/4 of the community college enrollment is also enrolled in high school. Only a few hundred of the 16000 (or so) NMSFs are in college, however.</p>
<p>At MIT, the dorm advisors (resident graduate students) are made aware of their unusually young freshlings, although no special services are provided. I don't know if that is true at Brown as well. A good friend is a professor at Brown; overall they seem to be a very friendly and supportive campus (more so than MIT certainly).</p>
<p>Feel free to PM if you have more specific questions.</p>
<p>My son used the same strategy and skipped his senior year as well. Congratulations.</p>
<p>He submitted his National Merit paperwork (with help from his High School) when we was already a freshman in college and got a scholarship from my employer. The scholarship was not retroactive so he received it for three years instead of four. I am not sure if this is a NMSC regulation or an stipulation of the scholarship sponsor.</p>
<p>He may be eligible from Brown to receive a nm scholarship from them or if your parents work for one of the corporations....one fromthem....yep, call nm to find exact instructions.</p>
<p>As far as young people in college- don't forget the ones who skipped an early grade and/or started school early instead of skipping senior year. But then there is no problem with NMS... Don't worry about being young in college. As a parent I'm relieved the drinking age is currently 21, none of the freshmen are of legal bar age... Due to local HS students taking college classes while still in HS my 16-->17 year old wasn't even the youngest one in a class. A nice thing about college- no one cares about your age. I'm sure you are mature enough to handle it and will fit in. Enjoy.</p>