<p>NMSC told me they go out all month, but I think they are mostly just covering themselves just in case. Reading through old threads it seems that usually people get their letters by 1/15, though there was one person in Florida 2011 who said her letter came 1/22
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1064200-nmf-rejection-letters-go-out-very-soon-6.html?highlight=nmf+rejection+letters[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1064200-nmf-rejection-letters-go-out-very-soon-6.html?highlight=nmf+rejection+letters</a></p>
<p>Good question, TXArchitect. I will email the recruiter we are working with ask him.</p>
<p>My daugher got rejected yesterday. I called and they said it was because of her grades. She does have 2 C’s but her grades for the first sememster of senior year have been terrific. I’m going to appeal and hope for the best, but am trying to accept the bad news gracefully. It’s not easy! Did not expect this.</p>
<p>If one does not receive a rejection letter does the NM Scholarship Committee request an updated transcript including the first semester of senior year from the high school?</p>
<p>Spoke with NMSC today. Confirmed that the two 79s received in freshman year doomed DS. She told me they “look for As and Bs”. Appealing …long shot, but gotta try. Counselor writing a letter, with addendum from principal.</p>
<p>We’re kind of a strange case as my son was supposed to be 2013 but ended up deciding to graduate a year early too late to change the NMSF year (he didn’t know for sure until he applied and got accepted EA to his top choice schools in Dec of last year). So he’s currently a freshman at MIT and still going through this! He just recently received a letter from NM saying they needed his first semester transcript from college to make a decision. He requested it last week but they still hadn’t received it today when I called. I was also concerned because there are no grades first semester (only Pass/No Record) so it won’t even show much when they do. So I’m guessing his file is in a “hold” status. In any case, all he’ll be eligible for is possible the $2500 scholarship (which is what we’re hoping for).</p>
<p>This trend is sort of dismaying to me… it really discourages students from taking any kind of risk in their schedule, and also seems really punitive for a couple of poor grades in freshman year. Especially because that is often a year when kids are overloaded with ECs (at least at our school), and haven’t figured out what to drop/how to juggle the expanded requirements all the coaches have at the high school level. My D has nothing lower than a “B” and has not received a letter, but it doesn’t feel to me like she is more qualified across the board than most of the posters here who have gotten them. Of course, she could get one tomorrow…</p>
<p>^^^Intparent: in all my years here on CC, I’ve never heard of a kids with just A’s & B’s getting rejected for grades. 3 years ago, I was sweating this out for D1 and she did have 2 semester C’s on her transcript (I’m pretty sure, it could have been just one; I’ll have to pull her transcript later) but she made NMF. </p>
<p>For those of you who will appeal, best of luck & please let us know how it works out.</p>
<p>Rob, thanks for posting. My son has more As than Bs, but there are several Bs on his transcript, especially Jr. year. We are sweating it out and dreading the mail every day.</p>
<p>“it doesn’t feel to me like she is more qualified across the board than most of the posters here”. National Merit status seems unfair to many posters since qualifying scores from one state is so different from another and the possibility of a free college education can be on the line. </p>
<p>One of our favorite quote to our kids is from John Adams: “We cannot insure success, we can only deserve it”. Wishing good results to those that are appealing.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if there have been cases in which a semi-finalist who was rejected ended up as a finalist on appeal? After you appeal will you receive a letter from NMSC
indicating that it was reviewed and the initial decision stands or was reversed?</p>
<p>In reading through past CC threads about National Merit, I read a post where someone had successfully appealed. I can’t recall the details or where, exactly, I read it, though.</p>
<p>I found the post:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/13759970-post76.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/13759970-post76.html</a></p>
<p>bhs…did you receive a rejection letter? If so, did it give a reason for rejection?</p>
<p>does anyone know of rejection letters postmarked other than January 9th?</p>
<p>I think NMCorp needs to relax a bit on the one or two “Cs” issue. After all, if you were homeschooling your kid you could control that. I don’t recall any homeschoolers not making NMF because of grades.</p>
<p>Hmm, how many homeschooled NMFs are there? 
</p>
<p>Oh, I am sure there are a lot, JuniorMint. Many parents of gifted kids homeschool their kids, and make sure they take the PSAT. And obviously take the SAT for admissions purposes.</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>Yes, many do. They aren’t happy with the gifted programs at their local schools, they can’t afford private, so they homeschool. </p>
<p>I personally know of a few homeschooled NMFs at my kid’s undergrad.</p>
<p>Thank you, inparent and m2ck. I was merely curious about the proportion of finalists that are homeschooled.</p>
<p>For example, there were eleven NMSFs (including me) from my state. </p>
<p>To prove m2ck incorrect, I am going to check the mail…</p>
<p>To prove m2ck incorrect, I am going to check the mail</p>
<p>lol…what’s the matter? Are you expecting a rejection?</p>