Natl. Merit Commended Scholar?

Test Preparation
1

<p>What are usually the cut-offs to being a commended scholar? I realize it doesn't mean much in the end, but I'd still like to know. I can't imagine it deviates too much from the cutoff score for the NMSF, but does anyone know by how much?</p>

2

<p>It varies from state to state. I don’t remember exactly, but I believe it’s usually a difference of around 15-20.</p>

3

<p>Isn’t commended based on the lowest state NMF score? For example, If you have to get a 201 in say–Wyoming–the commended score is 200 and up (to whatever your state’s semi-finalist score is). So unlike NMSF, the number is not limited and some states (with higher NM cut-offs) have more commended students.</p>

4

<p>As far as I know, the cutoff the Commended status is always lower than that for Semifinalist status.</p>

5

<p>See <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1063267512-post1053.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1063267512-post1053.html&lt;/a&gt;. Commended cut-off this year is 201. Last year it was 200.</p>

<p>– It is a national cut-off and does not vary by state (unlike NMSF cutoffs).
– Cut-off determines top 50,000 scorers (approximately 3.3% of testers and 1.6% of annual high school graduates) nationwide. NMSF goes to 16,000 highest scorers that come out of this pool based on proportional allocation of graduating seniors (this is not the same as the top 16,000 scorers). Non-NMSF in the pool become commended.
– As the link shows, commended cut-off is significantly lower than NMSF cut-offs in most states If NMSF cut-off was national, not state-based, it would typically be about 210 most years, according to distribution data released by the NMSC.
–However, some states have cut-offs that approach the commended cut-off. I suspect (but have no certainty) WY may actually not be able to fill its allocation of NMSF slots, as its cutoff score often hovers at the commended cut-off, but the NMSC will not go lower than the commended cut-off when determining state NMSF cut-offs. This year it appears there are no commended students in WY.</p>

6

<p>I am trying to figure out why I’ve not heard if I am commended or not…I know I missed semi-finalist but made a 213 and have not heard from my school or received a letter…have they gone out yet? Should I even worry about it?</p>

7

<p>NM Commended Scholars get to high schools by the end of September. My lovely school didn’t actually send any of us notification until early December. But I would assume everyone would know by now!!</p>