<p>Hey guys, I had a question about National Merit
What exactly does one have to do to get NM?</p>
<p>I have PSAT score of 236 and a March SAT of 2240, which i'm retaking in may.</p>
<p>I heard there's an essay and other stuff involved?</p>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>I'm assuming you are currently a junior? In May, you will receive a letter notifying you that you have been recognized (which means you are either commended or semifinalist - it won't specify). In late August, early September, your school will inform you that you are a semifinalist and give you the application to complete. It will require an essay (my daughter just cut and pasted her Common Application essay). You'll also need to have your SAT scores sent to National Merit. Usually you turn in your application to your school, so they can send it in with a recommendation/transcript. Your school should tell you their procedure.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>i never got a letter in may</p>
<p>The letter of recognition actually comes in April, not May (According to NMSQT's website).</p>
<p>wow that is so weird. i never got a letter in april or may but i got all the stuff in september</p>
<p>So does anyone know the cut-off for SAT scores that still allows a student to win finalist status? Does it fluctuate each year like the PSAT cut-off? Is it determined state by state? Doe sit include the writing score, or is is just the CR and Math?</p>
<p>Also, is the SAT cut-off based on a single sitting score?</p>
<p>yes i'm very interested as well about a cut-off SAT score to recieve NMF status.</p>
<p>what SAT score is needed to qualify you for fianlist?</p>
<p>I don't think there is an exact SAT cutoff... basically guys, just don't worry about the SAT part. If you did well enough on the PSAT to become semifinalist, you will most likely do well enough on the SAT, even if your score goes down a little (mine did). As I understand it, it's much more common for semifinalists not to make it based on their GPA.</p>
<p>15/16 semifinalists make it to finalist, so it's really not all that difficult if you can just turn everything in on time.</p>
<p>So there is a GPA cut-off? I did not know that...how does that work?</p>
<p>Offhand, it seems hard to administer as there are 24,000 high schools in the US, plus home-schoolers...</p>
<p>I still think there is an SAT cut-off. I thought it was approximately 1300 back in the age of the dinosaurs, befor the 1600 became 2400.</p>
<p>There's no exact SAT cut-off. </p>
<p>The website says that your SAT has to be around the same score as your PSAT. So if you recieved a 222 on your psat, then you'd probably have to have a about 2000+ (maybe 2100+) on the SAT....</p>
<p>GPA cutoff? What is it, or what is it usually around?</p>
<p>anothe question concerning the NM process. if you reach SF status then recieve the application to become a Finalist..</p>
<p>can you list your SAT superscore? or just the best one of your whole tests?</p>
<p>You don't superscore. You have to have your official sat scores sent directly to National Merit.</p>
<p>ok thats what i originally thought but someone made it sound like you just filled out your scores and sent along the official ones.</p>
<p>but that makes much more sense. thank you.</p>
<p>I don't think GPA matters at all, really. I had something like a 3.3 and still made it to finalist. As far as I understand it, the only people who get rejected are the ones who didn't get their paperwork in on time.</p>
<p>ahh bobo again. good information thanks.</p>
<p>so a 3.3 unweighted gpa?</p>
<p>wow</p>
<p>i hope your right. what school do you attend or are you going to attend?</p>
<p>As long as your transcript has few Cs and no Ds or Fs, you should be fine. The essay isn't too important. I've read that the SAT cut-off is 2000 for everyone, which should be easily do-able for most NMSFs. And no, you don't list your SAT scores on your NMF application, you only send them directly to National Merit. I believe that the SAT can be taken as late as December of Senior Year.</p>
<p>Essay, Sat scores, Transcript, Letters of req</p>
<p>k awesome thanks guys.. like i said i dont think i will have any trouble raising my score...</p>
<p>it will be my second time around so i'll know what to expect and also i'll actually prepare for the test this time.. haha</p>
<p>so, what really distinguishes the NM finalists from the winners of the scholarships? Is it mainly your PSAT/SAT score with your GPA, or do the other aspects really matter?</p>