<p>Can you please tell me if your children are jrs or srs? Thanks you in advance</p>
<p>We're all juniors here. Juniors are the ones who are being notified that they are high scorers now. I think the actual awards are being distributed or have already been distributed for the seniors.</p>
<p>D came home from school yesterday with her letter. She is quite proud of herself and of course we are proud as well.</p>
<p>Hmmm. D hasn't seen one yet. Maybe a 215 was too low this year. Cutoff last year in Michigan was 210.</p>
<p>We've already established that THE LETTERS ARE NOT FOR SEMI-FINALISTS (sorry using caps so people will see this.) Those and the commendations will only be given in SEPTEMBER.</p>
<p>This letter is to tell you that you are in the top 50,000 students, of which 34,000 will be commended, and 16,000 will become Semi-Finalists. </p>
<p>So no matter what if your S/D or you scored about 202 (? I think) or above you should DEFINATELY get a letter!</p>
<p>So...don't worry! I'm sure you will all be seeing letters soon.</p>
<p>Anyone know what the cutoff in NY is/was?</p>
<p>Last year the cutoff for semifinalist status in NY was 218.</p>
<p>The cutoff for being at least commended is a NATIONAL test - this year it is 202. Once you are past this, then you are subject to your state's cutoff in the determination of whether or not you are a semifinalist - this cutoff varies widely.</p>
<p>The letter that just came out went to everyone (top 50,000) who is AT LEAST commended. If you got 202 or above, you will (eventually) get this letter. In late August/early September, those who are over the state's cutoff will be notified on semifinalist status.</p>
<p>Thanks jrpar. You've really helped.</p>
<p>Has anyone been expecting one but hasn't received a letter yet?</p>
<p>I scored a 234; shouldn't I have gotten a letter?</p>
<p>Lady - you probably have rec'd a letter, but it may be sitting under a pile of stuff on your gc's desk at school! You might check w/ him/her tomorrow. GL!</p>
<p>Hi, ladyinred, my junior s hasn't received a letter though others on this message thread in our state have so I guess some post offices or schools are taking their time. I have asked my s twice about it and he's getting grouchy so I'm not going to ask again and may never hear about the letter if it doesn't come by mail.</p>
<p>Friday mailbox check: no letter again but another wasp was lingering near the box.</p>
<p>I received my letter from my guidance counselor today. If they're going through guidance counselors I am sure that everyone's letters are just still waiting to be sorted right now. Don't worry and good luck!</p>
<p>good luck everyone. And don't stress over the "2 schools." I posted this somewhere before, but I will post it here also - the 2 schools my son put down never even acknowledged that he had the PSATs sent there. He wound up choosing University of Florida, which was not even on the radar at that time (their NMF scholarship is great!)
Tabbyzmom</p>
<p>We agree with above comment regarding not stressing about the "two college" designation right now. We did not receive a single acknowledgement of any type from the two colleges our daughter designated last spring. If you receive Semi-Finalist designation in September, we suggest at that time you mark "Undecided" as your school choice (unless you are REALLY certain of a school). Then you have until early May of your senior year to designate a "first-choice" school, which would trigger getting National Merit Scholar money from that school (assuming they participate). Our daughter has been offered what we feel is a nice 4-year National Merit Scholar award from Scripps (Claremont, CA), in addition to their JES 1/2 tuition merit award.</p>
<p>Some important cautions: some LAC's (such as Scripps, Carleton) offer their National Merit Scholar awards IN ADDITION to any need-based grant money they may offer. Other LACs, we learned the hard way (such as Harvey Mudd), reduce any need-based grant they might have offered you by an amount equal to the National Merit Scholar award, so the practical net benefit of the National Merit award is zero. Other schools, as we learned (such as Pomona) indicate participation in the National Merit Scholar program but award them only very selectively to a sub-set of NM Finalists, and only after you accept their admissions offer. So this was as good as nothing in helping make a final admissions decision, and we felt not very fair. And finally, other LACs (such as Williams, Amherst) do not support National Merit Scholar awards at all. </p>
<p>All in all, National Merit is a complex, byzantine process...</p>
<p>Are there any top-tier schools (I'm not so interested in state universities) that offer NM awards?</p>
<p>Sure. The Ivies don't, but Rice, Pomona, Carleton, Harvey Mudd, University of Rochester, Wash U, and Emory are among the 200 schools that are National Merit sponsors. A complete listing is sent to all semifinalists.</p>
<p>Thanks, jenskate1. I'm glad to know that they will send a complete list.</p>
<p>Is there ANYONE else out there who still hasn't received a letter and is above the cut-offs? Is it the private school or public school kids who are getting the letters from the GC? Why would some get it at school and some at home? I don't know whether to be irritated with my s's GC or with the postman. I guess, just to be safe, I'll be irritated with both.</p>
<p>Poor heidi, I can certainly understand your frustration! I didn't read back through the thread, but relying on memory, it seems most everyone mentioned getting the letter from their GCs. I do not think you would be out of line at all if you were to contact your S's GC on Monday and specifically ask about the letter. D's letter is downstairs at this time, but it seems I recall a response date by mid May sometime. Good luck. Let us know what you find out!</p>
<p>p.s. Stay away from the mailbox ... the wasps don't sound so friendly!</p>