<p>Thank you, Youdon’tsay, Vandygrad, nellieh, Mom24boys, mamabear1234 and others. I guess that studying does make a difference. My D is going to take the January SAT. Let’s see what happens. My sophomore son also took the same PSAT but the school released the score to juniors only. He is waiting too.</p>
<p>@RobD, thanks for the links about the state data. I have not seen anywhere (either on my son’s individualized report, on college board, or in this state data) where they give STATE percentiles based on the cumulative score of all three sections, only where you fall percentile wise nationally with your total score. But wouldn’t the state percentile be the number that drives who makes NMSF? If not, can someone please explain?</p>
<p>NMSF slots are allocated to states in proportion to the percentage of HS graduates each state has when compared with the national total. For example if state X graduates 2.5% of the all of the nation’s HS graduates, X is allocated 2.5% of the (approximately) 16,000 NMSF spots. Thus states with high graduation rates get comparatively more slots allocated. The number of slots (which drives cut-off scores down), as well as the aggregate test performance (which drives cut-off scores up), determines the cut-off score in each state.</p>
<p>States vary widely in their level of participation in the PSAT, so state percentiles are not significant in determining NMSF. By my quick estimates, UT, a state with a very low PSAT participation rate (about 16% of graduates), has about 3% of its test takers receive NMSF status. MA, a state with a very high participation rate (around 80% of graduates) has about 0.65% of its testers so identified.</p>
<p>Yay Descartesz! You were the one who started the thread that discussed all this right? YDS: it was a couple of posts in a long thread about the 2012 PSAT NMSF/NMF results; I’ll try & find it later but Descartesz boiled it down above. The link I posted had the state level data and I think the data in the NMSC annual report was another piece that Descartes used: <a href=“http://www.nationalmerit.org/annual_report.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nationalmerit.org/annual_report.pdf</a></p>
<p>Thanks MDMom1314, you are the only one greeting me here. What do you mean D13 or S13? </p>
<p>The SAT 2100 is not enough, I know. S will take 2nd SAT in Jan. Hopefully the scores will increase.</p>
<p>S went to NY last summer and took a summer school in one of the IVY schools. At the end, we joined him and visited 8 IVY in West-coast. S still doesn’t know which school he will choose. His school is new for IB program this year. Everything is unknown. You Americans have more choices for summer programs. We are Canadian and belong to International column. Any suggestion on summer activities will be appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>Welcome, pigmom!</p>
<p>D13 means “daughter in high school class of 2013” and S13 means “son in high school class of 2013”. Depending on the context, it could also mean “in college class of”.</p>
<p>Welcome Pigmom!</p>
<p>Some posts by Descartesz (and others) with regards to PSAT data for the class of 2012:</p>
<p>State cutoffs by decreasing magnitude: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/13227016-post774.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/13227016-post774.html</a></p>
<p>Methodology for state cutoffs: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/13231393-post796.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/13231393-post796.html</a></p>
<p>ratio of NMSF to testers by state <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/13234154-post801.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/13234154-post801.html</a></p>
<p>comparison of % of test takers making NMSF and cutoff score <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/13235115-post803.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/13235115-post803.html</a></p>
<p>Enjoy :)</p>
<p>Wow, Descartez and RobD… these are awsome! Thanks! So, would it stand to reason that, if the ratio of NMSF to testers in a state is 1.2% (for example), and a tester in that state is in the top percentile of testers for that state, that they would become a NMSF? Or is that too simplified?</p>
<p>Congratulations INdycat…that is very exciting news.</p>
<p>I have no hope of dd being a semifinalist…I’m just hoping she did well for her.</p>
<p>There is a junior parent college night tonight, but it is also dh’s company party and he really wants me to go.</p>
<p>The college night is on financial aid and standardized testing. I have put below what the school says about the presentation. I am thinking I can get this kowledge from CC!!! I do understand the difference between the kinds of aid and I do know about FAFSA. We have books on SAT prep and I will get one for ACT prep.</p>
<p>I feel like I really need to attend the company party…any comments to help me decide???</p>
<p>Thanks
Julia</p>
<p>The College Financial Aid seminar will introduce Junior parents to the difference between merit aid, need-based aid, loans and scholarships. Also included will be information on requirements for the (FAFSA) Free Application for Financial Aid and the College Board CSS/ Financial Aid Profile.</p>
<p>The College Admission Standardized Testing seminar will be presented by a representative from Compass Education Group. Compass Education Group is regularly invited to speak to private audiences of students and parents at schools throughout the Bay Area. This is an opportunity to learn what role standardized testing plays in the college admissions process and what to expect on the various tests. This valuable information helps families devise a standardized testing plan.</p>
<p>Topics covered will include the following:</p>
<p>Colleges use of test scores and the competitive landscape
The rising popularity of the ACT
The importance of Subject Test choices and timing
Trends in testing timelines, repeat testing, and test preparation
Habits of highly successful college applicants.</p>
<p>VBC, if you feel on solid ground on the FA part, well, the second part is a sales job from that company, so I wouldn’t feel compelled to go. You’re right that you can learn a lot of this stuff on cc, if you have the time. Also, as long as you know about Subject Tests and the timing needed, you could attend this night next year as a senior parent and still ger some benefits, at least on the FA part. I bet you could even get a free consultation from this Compass group or find out when they’re speaking at another school and attend that session.</p>
<p>I vote for the Christmas party. If you didn’t have anything else to do, I would suggest you go, you might learn something, but as YDS said, it is a sales job. Most of those companies give a “free” initial consultation. You could probably go to that and learn everything you need to learn. Or ask a friend what they said.</p>
<p>Mumto3: Since NMSC is a private entity, they don’t release their methodologies. But people who are interested can glean some insight from looking at the numbers that are released each year. I think using your scenario can give you an idea if your student is in the ballpark for the cutoff, but so can using the cutoffs from the year before. When they release the state level data for the PSAT given 2 months ago, I’ll be looking at D2’s score and comparing it to last years cutoff, but then also looking at the scores released for our state and seeing if they’re trending down or up to see if I can figure out if the cutoff might go up or down. </p>
<p>Hoping Descartez might come back and explain some more…</p>
<p>Pigmom: My S in the HS class of '13 and my D is in the HS class of '14. Twins the hard way ;)</p>
<p>VBCMom - I vote for the party also. You may hear one or two new things, but doubltful anything worth missing the party for.</p>
<p>Welcome Pigmom!</p>
<p>Just got GC answer to my e-mail, she sent the scores from 10th grade and said the school has not recieved current scores. Could this be correct - the school gave it to 9-11th graders on the Wednesday date.</p>
<p>Mom24boys–I have been following the PSAT news closely, as my D was a NM Scholar and my junior son could possibly become one. I think this could indeed be correct, as a lot more students would be reporting their scores if they were all out. Approximately 3.5 million students take the PSAT each year. I recognize that not all of them are on CC, but I’ve seen only about 10 reported scores so far!</p>
<p>VBCMom–I agree with others who said that you can probably find everything you need to know on CC. I went to a financial aid presentation for my D several years ago, and I might have learned one new thing. I had done a lot of reading in advance and found the presentation that I attended (almost definitely given by a different entity than yours) to be very, very basic.</p>
<p>And sometimes those presentations have a bit of a scare tactic to them, making you think you need to buy their services.</p>
<p>Thanks for the comments. I am doing the party. </p>
<p>Thanks
Julia</p>
<p>My son will be picking up his PSAT scores tomorrow from the GC. He thought the PSAT was easier than the PLAN…we’ll see.</p>
<p>Good luck. I have been trying very hard not to call the GC…trying not to convey pressure to my S since (if his practice scores are any indication) I don’t have very high expectations. I have a feeling that reality might not be as hopeful as the anticipation. The bad part is that I lurk around here instead, which certainly doesn’t help my sense of perspective re scores! It may be better just to know and move forward…</p>
<p>Pigmom: Forgot to say welcome! And I think a 2100 in 10th grade is phenomenal!!</p>