<p>I know you need to get a high score on the SAT as well to qualify for finalist status... How high of a score do you need?</p>
<p>they dont count SAT scores in National Merit. National merit is only PSAT score</p>
<p>No, the PSAT score is just to get qualified. In order to become a finalist you must "take the SAT I Reasoning Test and earn scores that confirm your PSAT/NMSQT performance."</p>
<p>No.. You are confusing it w/ Semi-finalist</p>
<p>Semi-finalist=
-PSAT Qualifying Score</p>
<p>Finalist=
-High PSAT Score
-High SAT Score
-High Unweighted GPA
-High Weighted GPA
-Good Recommendations
-An Essay (i think)</p>
<p>i thot there was no SAT score involved, maybe not. I kno for a fact that first u hv to be commended, then only the PSAT is looked for becoming a Semi-finalist. And for finalist its like all these essays and shiznat</p>
<p>To become a semifinalist, all that matters is your PSAT score. To qualify as a finalist, you need the things Variance listed. As far as I know, the SAT score needs to be roughly in line with your PSAT score (to ensure that your PSAT score was not a fluke). You have to send in an offical score report to NM Foundation (you'll get details in your Semifinalist packet). As for the essay, I've heard that all that matters is that you are competant in the English language.. Think about this - 15,000 of the 16,000 semifinalists become finalists - thats more than 90%. Factor out those that never turn in their paperwork, and I bet that the number of students rejected from finalist status is minimal.</p>
<p>I think that last year's cutoff for SAT was 1300, but that was only what I heard from another student, not from NM itself. But, like tanman said, if you have a somewhat decent GPA and a decent SAT and don't completely screw up your essay, you should get it.</p>
<p>I was told for NMS 2006 you need to score 10 X the National Merit score +/- 40 points. </p>
<p>So, I have to get from 2230 to 2310 for a PSAT of 227</p>
<p>+/- 40 :( . . . my SAT was 50 lower than my PSAT x 10 . . . eek, good thing i'm taking my SAT again</p>
<p>Shahein, I doubt there is an upper cutoff. It just doesn't make sense.</p>
<p>Well, yes, an upper cutoff would be odd. But that <em>is</em> what they told me. I doubt they will penalize you for scoring a really high SAT when compared with PSAT.</p>