<p>I believe 2000 is considered a validation of your PSAT score.</p>
<p>BorneoQueen, I suggest strongly to have your daughter take the SAT. She might not need to do much preparation to get a confirming score which can be as low as 1960. With her good PSAT and ACT score, she shall have no problem to score above 2000.</p>
<p>@WestIllinoisMom </p>
<p>Thanks so much for the information! I am going to take the SAT again and I’ll be sure to finish everything early :]</p>
<p>Glad to know it’s not too difficult to complete all the steps!</p>
<p>A friend played with the published list of CA NMSF, and sent me this analysis:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I know of one school that does not plan to notify its students until late next week because the school GC office is working on ‘other immediate issues.’ </p>
<p>How many days does it take to fill out the contents of the packet and send it in before the October 12 cut off date? </p>
<p>What is the required length of the essay? Also, is the NM essay question similar to a typical college application essay.</p>
<p>lagunal - You’ll fill everything out online and it won’t take long, especially if you’ve already made a list of your activities and awards/honors for something else like a brag sheet or the common app. Here’s the essay prompt:</p>
<p>To help the reviewers get to know you, describe an experience you have had, a person who has influenced you, or an obstacle you have overcome. Explain why this is meaningful to you. Use your own words and limit your response to the space provided.</p>
<p>Updating a few missing deltas. Looks like VT is now in the lead for largest cutoff change with +5.</p>
<p>Twelve states need to be finalized. Anyone?</p>
<hr>
<p>PLEASE DON’T FREAK OUT! Check the explanation of the notation in the first post. When you see, for instance, AZ <= 219, that means that Arizona’s cutoff is no higher than 219. This comes from a report like, “I live in Arizona, made a 219, and got my letter.” When you see, for instance, TX > 216, that means that Texas’ cutoff is higher than 216. This comes from a report like, “I live in Texas, made a 216, and didn’t make it.”</p>
<hr>
<p>Remaining states that need to be finalized:
AK, DE, IA,
ME, MT, NE, NH, ND,
SD, UT, WI, WY</p>
<p>Updating missing deltas</p>
<p>**AL = 211<a href=“post%20#281,%20per%20NMSC”>/b</a> +1
AK = ?
**AZ = 213<a href=“post%20#126/#132,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> +4
**AR = 205<a href=“post%20#498,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> +2
**CA = 221<a href=“post%20#321,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> +2
**CO = 215<a href=“posts%20#537,%20#543,%20established%20by%20score%20comparison”>/b</a> +3
**CT = 220<a href=“post%20#508,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> +1
DE <= 219 (post #588)
**DC = 223<a href=“post%20#633”>/b</a>
**FL = 214<a href=“post%20#107,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> +4
**GA = 218<a href=“post%20#645”>/b</a> +3
**HI = 216<a href=“post%20#225,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> +1
**ID = 211<a href=“posts%20#522,%20#525,%20per%20student%20NMSF”>/b</a> +3
**IL = 216<a href=“post%20#110,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> +2
**IN = 214<a href=“posts%20#147,%20#193,%20established%20by%20score%20comparison”>/b</a> +2
IA <= 211 (post #536)
**KS = 214<a href=“post%20#87,%20per%20principal”>/b</a> +3
**KY = 212<a href=“post%20#656”>/b</a> +4
**LA = 209<a href=“post%20#459,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> -1
ME = ?
**MD = 221<a href=“post%20#509,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> +1
**MA = 223<a href=“post%20#561”>/b</a> No change
**MI = 210<a href=“post%20#653”>/b</a> +1
**MN = 215<a href=“post%20#654”>/b</a> +2
**MS = 205<a href=“post%20#192,%20NMSC”>/b</a> No change
**MO = 213<a href=“post%20#497,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> +3
MT <= 209 (post #90)
NE <= 215 (post #10)
**NV = 209<a href=“post%20#635”>/b</a> +1
NH <= 216, >209 (post #563)
**NJ = 223<a href=“post%20#493,%20per%20GS”>/b</a> +2
**NM = 210<a href=“post%20#302,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> +4
**NY = 219<a href=“post%20#621”>/b</a> +2
**NC = 217<a href=“post%20#637”>/b</a> +3
ND = ?
**OH = 214<a href=“post%20#28,%20established%20by%20score%20comparison,%20see%20also%20#583,%20630”>/b</a> +2
**OK = 209<a href=“post%20#106,%20NMSC”>/b</a> +3
**OR = 216<a href=“post%20#677”>/b</a> +1
**PA = 215<a href=“post%20#629”>/b</a> -1
**RI = 213<a href=“post%20#638”>/b</a> +2
**SC = 211<a href=“post%20#618”>/b</a> +3
SD = ?
**TN = 214<a href=“post%20#617”>/b</a> +2
**TX = 219<a href=“post%20#46,%20per%20principal;%20post%20#267,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> +4
UT = ?
**VT = 217<a href=“post%20#661”>/b</a> +5
**VA = 220<a href=“post%20#616”>/b</a> +2
**WA = 220<a href=“post%20#491,%20per%20GC”>/b</a> +2
**WV = 204<a href=“post%20#627”>/b</a> +2
WI <= 209 (post #166, #191)
WY = ?</p>
<p>**Puerto Rico = 204<a href=“post%20#668”>/b</a></p>
<p>10(?) Boarding school regions
New England Boarding Schools = 223 (post #636)
These usually are set to be equal to the highest cut-off score among the individual states in the region.</p>
<p>Internationals=?
This usually is set to be equal to the highest cut-off score among all the individual states.</p>
<p>Commended (national cutoff) = 202 (Class of 2012 Notification Letters - College Confidential)
Any person with a score equal to or higher than this cutoff who is not a NMSF receives commended status. This group represents the highest 50,000 scorers.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Just to add PinotNoir’s helpful post, the space provided is about for 600 words. My kid had an under 600 word essay and had a blank line or two left.</p>
<p>^^^Thanks iglooo - good to know!</p>
<p>Does anyone know where I can find the list of 2012 semifinalists for my state? Or county?</p>
<p>Looks like New Jersey is a lot like Texas, each area deciding to release their local semi-finalists and/or each school doing their own press release. The way most people have found the links for names has been a Google search for “2012 ______ National Merit Semifinalists” (your state, county, school can be put into the blank). I did a quick search for your state and county but didn’t find anything just specific schools. There was one release for central NJ.</p>
<p>Link here indicates that principals were notified of NMSF in late August.</p>
<p>[PSAT</a> Test Dates and Deadlines - PSAT/NMSQT](<a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/psat/deadlines]PSAT”>PSAT/NMSQT Test Dates and Deadlines for Educators)</p>
<p>My Son got 220 in NY. But did not receive any letter. others got
dont know their nos.</p>
<p>Thank you for the confirming SAt score information. Yes she will have to take it then. If that is the cutoff, she will not have to prep which is waht I want to avoid with so much else to do.</p>
<p>SHsenior,
His letter must be lost. they came to the home in the US mail. His 220 in NY does qualify. He should inquire of his principal of guidance counselor.</p>
<p>Shsenior - Here is the list for NY.</p>
<p>[List</a> of New York State’s 969 National Merit Scholars - Business First](<a href=“http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/datacenter/new-yorks-2011-2012-national-merit.html]List”>http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/datacenter/new-yorks-2011-2012-national-merit.html)</p>
<p>If it is not there and your son meets the qualification, you may need to contact NMSC to find out. If he is there on the list, talk to your school.</p>
<p>Thank you PinotNoir and Igloo for the helpful information.</p>
<p>Also, for people waiting for news online, you can set up a “Google Alert” on a particular phrase or name. If that particular phrase or name appears on the internet (or you can just specifically request for news articles), then google will email you. </p>
<p>For example, “National Merit Semifinalist” or a more specific alert for “National Merit Semifinalist Houston Texas” </p>
<p>You can remove the alert at anytime.</p>
<p>The school already announced other 7 students name & their picture is already in the school website. I enquired about this to GC. she said she will do some research and get back to me on Monday. I asked her about to confirm the NY cut off.</p>
<p>Looks like the NY cutoff is still under question. SHSenior, is your kid in a public school or not?</p>
<p>Shsenior - did you check the website that I provided a link for to check for your kid’s name?</p>
<p>Yes. he is in public school. I checked the website. his name is not there.</p>