<p>What exactly are these things? Does anyone know what you need on the PSAT to get one of these?</p>
<p>220 or around there usually to qualify, then essays and stuff. interviews. delicious.</p>
<p>the cutoff for semifinalist depends on your state. the cutoff for commended students this year was a 203. making the semifinalist cutoff qualifies you to continue in the scholarship competition which involves an essay among other things.</p>
<p>where are u getting the 203 value from.. is that for psat 2006?</p>
<p>No, that number is from '05. It shouldn't vary from 202-205 this year though...</p>
<p>There are no interviews for National Merit Scholarships, just take the PSAT during junior year, score in the highest .05% for your state, complete the application you get from your HS in the fall (with an essay & rec from your counselor), & hope you qualify to advance from NMSF to NMF. Below is where you can get more complete info.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nationalmerit.org/nmsp.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.nationalmerit.org/nmsp.php</a></p>
<p>Just wondering if it's possible & if anyone has ever received the $2500 one-time NMF scholarship from NMC + a college or corporate NMF award (seems the latter type of award is much more generous & renewable).</p>
<p>Nope - you can only get one or the other. DD got a $2500 one-time NMF award. Some colleges, however, continue the "one-time" award for the remaining 3 years at the $2000 level. (Otherwise it wouldn't be fair for the kids getting NMF sponsored one to get less money than those students getting the other ones!)</p>
<p>Yeah, it seems wrong to me that a student would essentially be "penalized" for receiving a $2500 NMF scholarship from NMC. I know we're glad our S got a NMF scholarship from his college & it's renewable (tho not $2000/year). At some schools, it appears that the amount of the NMF award is linked to Financial Need & you only get the minimal $500/year if you don't show need in your EFC.
Our S received 3 renewable merit awards from his U (including a college-sponsored NMF award), which have greatly lightened the out-of-pocket costs for the family.</p>
<p>I, frankly, don't get why they do it by states...- it seems like the highest scorers should get the most recognition no matter where they are from, and those from the other states should prepare more to try to do better...</p>
<p>I agree wholeheartedly altfive. But I guess some argue that if you live in a state lioke Mississippi theh you won't have as good an opportunity to be successful as if you live in California.</p>