<p>There is no comparison. Some kids don’t follow up with paperwork (or their schools ignored turning it over to the kids as someone posted) and dont make finalist phase.</p>
<p>As to scholarship itself, people either try to get extra money from school compared to the standard 2500 national merit requires and get named by a college or they will have to settle for a business or NMSC to give them that scholarship. I am not certain every finalist gets the scholarship.</p>
<p>So if s becomes a finalist (which from past posts I assume it’s likely) and he somehow gets into Williams or ivy , which don’t participate in the whole thing, is there still a chance that he can receive $2500 directly from national merit foundation? A drop in the bucket but every bit helps…</p>
<p>S2012 - I would like to know the answer too! I may be in the same boat as you in terms of getting money from a college that my kid may end up attending.</p>
<p>My understanding is that most NMSF finalists (who do not attend a participating school) do NOT get a scholarship–'least that’s the way it was back when I was applying to college…Just looks nice on the college applications.</p>
<p>I think that mom2 has it right. The economy is crushing, so families with kids who have a shot are taking this seriously. Students are now studying for the test as if it were the SAT, whereas PSAT used to be viewed as just an early SAT practice session. The composition of the test-taking population is changing, with better results at the high end. Looking at the SAT threads, it’s amazing to see the improvements that CC students have achieved through study.</p>
<p>Just to show a numerical example on how increasing the percentage of juniors who take the test increases the cutoff score. Imagine a state with one million graduating seniors per year, and the state is allotted 10,000 NM slots. </p>
<p>In one year, 200,000 juniors take the test, and the top 10,000 of that 200,000 score 211 or above. Of the 10,000 semi-finalists, 5,000 score in the 211-215 range, while 5,000 score in the 216-240 range.</p>
<p>In the next year, 400,000 juniors take the test, and the top 20,000 of that 400,000 score 211 or above. Of the 20,000 who score 211 or above, 10,000 score in the 211-215 range, while 10,000 score in the 216-240 range.</p>
<p>If the number of graduating seniors doesn’t change, then the number of NM “slots” will still be 10,000, and so the minimum score will go from 211 to 216.</p>
<p>I suspect that the largest reason for the percentages of juniors taking the test rising AND the top scores going up is No Child Left Behind. Schools are devoting ever larger amounts of resources to preparing kids to take tests, and the PSAT in fall of junior year is perfectly positioned as a great practice test. The kids in the 200-220 range are very smart, and likely to most benefit from practice and from being taught good test-taking strategies.</p>
<p>Just got my letter Friday. NMSF in North Carolina. My PSAT score 234.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It could be in another year, the top 10,000 score 216 or above, simply being a more competitive class.</p>
<p>*So if s becomes a finalist (which from past posts I assume it’s likely) and he somehow gets into Williams or ivy , which don’t participate in the whole thing, is there still a chance that he can receive $2500 directly from national merit foundation? A drop in the bucket but every bit helps… *</p>
<p>there’s a chance…but if your child will be attending a “full need” school and you’re not a “full pay,” then that 2500 gets applied to need…it won’t reduce what you have to pay. And, the NMCorp money is a one time thing.</p>
<p>I find it so odd that it is called a NATIONAL Merit when the cut-offs, at least for the SF, are by state and vary so much…</p>
<p>Well, if they had ONE cut-off, the finalists would be largely from the NE and Calif…not much of a “national” program then.</p>
<p>The program recognizes that every state doesn’t have similar quality of K-12 education. So, the thinking might be that a student who makes NMF with a 215 in X state is just as smart as one who made NMF with a 223 in a NE state, but the K-12 education wasn’t as strong. This is one reason why the STATE you take the test is the one that determines whether you made the cut-off (as that one former Calif family has sadly learned…they recently moved to a lower cut-off state.)</p>
<p>I don’t think that it would be right to argue that those in the NE or Calif are just more “gifted” intelligence-wise. </p>
<p>* </p>
<p>BTW— for the Finalist awards and the Scholar awards, is the comparison done nationally, or by state again?
*</p>
<p>Are you asking about making NMF??? Are you asking about NMCorp awards? </p>
<p>NMF is not by state. NMCorp awards are portioned by state (and may also be portioned male to female). Scholar status is not portioned by state.</p>
<p>The system would work a lot better for National Merit if they gave NMSF status to the top 1% of test takers in all states. That would actually encourage schools to give more students the test, as the number of test takers would determine the number of NMSF.</p>
<p>As it is, the cutoff score is determined largely by the number of test takers in each state.</p>
<p>For proof, all you have to do is look at Utah. They have one of the highest average scores on the test, but they have one of the lowest cutoff scores. They have an good enough educational system, on average better than what my daughter gets in rural VA.</p>
<p>But their cutoff score was 206 last year, and VAs cutoff was 218. So…it’s just goofy to me. </p>
<p>If a state doesn’t care enough to give their students the test, why go the extra mile to unfairly reward students in those states?</p>
<p>My son is considering going to a school that does not give any money for NMF. If he list another school as his number one choice that does give money for NMF, is he obligated to go to the school which he listed as his number one choice for NMF?</p>
<p>cranberry…No, he would not be obligated to go to whichever school he lists as his #1 with NMSC. However, if he is awarded a university sponsored scholarship from NMSC it will not be transferrable to any other school, even if the new school is one that offers its own official NMSC scholarship. If he is awarded one of the one-time $2500 scholarships given by NMSC I believe he can apply that to any accredited university in the country.</p>
<p>Texas jumped 4 to a 219 this year.</p>
<p>any news from colorado yet?</p>
<p>any news from nj yet?</p>
<p>*My son is considering going to a school that does not give any money for NMF. If he list another school as his number one choice that does give money for NMF, is he obligated to go to the school which he listed as his number one choice for NMF? *</p>
<p>NO, he’s not obligated!</p>
<p>Son remembered to tell me this a.m. that he made
semifinalist in PA with 217!</p>
<p>My D was notified on Friday that she is a semi-finalist in GA with a 225 psat. She was told that she has to write an essay and submit application for the finalist competition.</p>
<p>So California is confirmed at 221?</p>