<p>It’s up to the gc to appeal, so they definitely have to be on board. You can’t just decide to appeal–they do it. My son’s gc is very busy right now since they are moving to a new sememster, and this is not a priority for her. He is one of 34 semifinalists at his school, so I think they just assume a few won’t make it. She is very nice and says she will look into it, but she doesn’t have the sense of urgency I do. We are moving forward now and assuming it’s over for him.</p>
<p>Did rejection letters go to home addresses?</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Yes. So, if you didn’t receive one, then likely you made it.</p>
<p>Is anyone else noticing a pattern here? The only real criteria NMF seems to use are decent grades/SAT scores. I bet they’d take someone with no ECs and the most boring essay imaginable as long as they had straight As & Bs and a 2000 SAT</p>
<p>You’re forgetting the problem of “discipline issues”…those with suspensions are getting rejected as well - probably because they aren’t getting the recommendations from their schools.</p>
<p>You’re right that the ECs probably do not matter. </p>
<p>Regarding the essay…a student at my child’s school was rejected because he wrote a rude and sarcastic essay. However, it’s probably true that any decent essay is fine.</p>
<p>I believe that the only person at our school that didn’t advance in recent years just failed to get the paperwork in. My child was told that the essay just has to be reasonable as well.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if there’s post today, since it’s a holiday?</p>
<p>No mail today…no letter received yet…hoping for good news in a few weeks!</p>
<p>Since the rejection letters got mailed the first week in Jan, anyone who hasn’t rec’d one by now probably isn’t going to get one.</p>
<p>^ One would think so, but that’s not necessarily true; SharadSun, on page four of this forum, reported receiving his rejection letter on Saturday the 15th, which is quite recent, and indicates the possibility that rejections may yet be forthcoming.</p>
<p>Has anybody from Washington State (or the West coast in general) received rejection letters yet? I haven’t, but I don’t what to count the chickens before they hatch!! Pretty much wearing a path out to the mailbox right now. ;)</p>
<p>
I’m still on page 2, you should really change your settings. ;)</p>
<p>anyone know when notifications are sent to the schools this year? thanks</p>
<p>February 1. Letters to homes on February 8</p>
<p>will NMSC confirm or deny finalist status if you call? (I’m assuming not until February 1 if they will, even though they must have decided by now.)</p>
<p>I called about Scholarship info yesterday (husband’s company is a corporate sponsor, so DD will get $$$ if she is a finalist) and to be sure DD’s file is complete. I didn’t come right out and ask, but they didnt volunteer anything, either.</p>
<p>I have had very positive experiences calling; NMSC is friendly and helpful. I would give it a try. All they can say is no, and February 8th is not too far away…</p>
<p>“anyone know when notifications are sent to the schools this year?”
D received her certificate acknowledging that she is a National Achievement Finalist earlier this week. Her counselor handed it to her and told her that she would probably receive the “other one” (National Merit Finalist certificate) next week.</p>
<p>mjl…I don’t know if NMCorp will confirm by phone, but since the rejection letters went out the first week in January, there should be little doubt that your child is a NMF. </p>
<p>Seriously, only those with “issues” should be concerned about not making NMF. Students who meet the criteria do make NMF.</p>
<p>With regards to my appeal, should I send NMC my first semester grades? Or might they just get tossed out? Should I have my counselor send them with his letter of appeal?</p>
<p>My son’s gc spoke with the person in charge of the appeals committee. She discovered that you can appeal a rejection based on grades. You can’t appeal a withdrawal from the competition based on an SAT score below their cutoff even if it’s just 10 points.</p>
<p>Well, my SAT score was 2290, so that shouldn’t be below the cutoff, right? I’m pretty sure it was because of my grades. Incidentally, do we send the appeal to the address that was on the rejection letter?</p>