<p>Hi, my son, a soph, will be eligible for National Merit in his Junior Year…</p>
<li> He got 183 on PSAT. His GPA is 3.6</li>
<li> What score does he need to get in his junior year to receive a scholarship amount.</li>
</ol>
<p>I am confused by how this works.</p>
<p>Your son will take the PSAT in October of his junior year. In May of his junior year, if he has scored above the national cutoff (currently 203, but could rise), then he will receive a letter. In September of his senior year, if he has scored above the state cutoff (which varies quite a bit by state, can be as low as 204 or as high as 224), then he is named a National Merit Semifinalist. If he did not score above the state cutoff, then he will receive a letter a few weeks later naming him a National Merit Commended student. If he is a Semifinalist, he will be given an application to complete for Finalist consideration. To move on to Finalist, he has to have an SAT score that is within range of his PSAT score, write an essay, provide a transcript (grades need to be good), and get a school recommendation. Finalists are notified in February of his senior year. Generally there are 16,000 Semifinalists; 15,000 are named Finalists. </p>
<p>As to scholarships - </p>
<p>If your son is Commended, it generally doesn't translate into $$. Some colleges will throw a bit of money at you, but usually not.</p>
<p>If your son is a Finalist, then there are three options for $$ - NM scholarships (one time $2500 award), corporate scholarships (vary by sponsoring company, usually available only to children of employees), college scholarships (can range from $1000 per year to a full ride).</p>
<p>Also, here is a link with good information about National Merit:</p>
<p>cdimauro...what state are you in?</p>
<p>I am in Ct</p>
<p>Ct cutoff was 220 last year and 219 the year before. Studying will improve his score.</p>