<p>Regarding GA cutoff - the number of test takers was down in 2011 by 10%, % scores in top two brackets was pretty close to even year to year, high school graduation rate should be similar or a little higher. Not sure how these numbers will affect the cutoff but maybe someone else can help to interpret them. Regarding high school graduation rate - will they use the 2012 numbers? Georgia changed the way they calculate graduation rate a few years back and this made the graduation rate appear to have dropped. Should not affect this year though.</p>
<p>@Lanayru: Again, I think a 3 point drop (to 215) would be reasonable based on the data. However, in any state where you are counting on a drop of 2 or 3 points to make NMSF, it’s best to remain hopeful rather than optimistic. The data that is publicly available at this point allows only an educated guess.</p>
<p>It gladdens me to hear that the semifinalist cutoffs are predicted to remain at last year’s levels or even go down. I would be thankful if anyone would like to predict Washington state’s cutoff, or help me in finding the data to surmise on my own. I think the cutoff for last year was 220 and 218 the year before. I scored a 222 on the October 2011 PSAT, and I was wondering if I am safe or borderline. Many of my friends that attend other public schools reported knowing students that recieved nearly perfect scores, so I am worried.</p>
<p>@JuniorMint: There is bad news in that the number of PSAT testtakers in WA went up 7% this year. Neverthlesss, the number of students scoring in the top range (76-80) still dropped. In fact, the number of students scoring in that range was the lowest I saw for WA (looking back to 2005). WA’s cutoff seems to have gone up and down as the # of students scoring in the top range has gone up and down. So it seems unlikely that WA could jump 3 points this year. I think you can be cautiously optimistic.</p>
<p>@cougarmom3: I think I remember seeing from older posts that the # of HS graduates in each state is determined based on the current senior class, which is one of the reasons students have to wait so long to find out whether they made NMSF.</p>
<p>I got a 217 and live in IL, which had a cutoff of 216 last year (a 2 point jump). Can someone explain why scores are expected to drop rather than increase? It would really ease my mind…</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>I’ll let others explain why the cut-offs might drop. </p>
<p>The good news for you is that Ill rose 2 points LAST year, and won’t likely go up another 2 points this year.</p>
<p>@collegebound666:</p>
<p>Cutoffs are expected to drop because the percentile cutoffs at the National level dropped to historically low levels for the 2011 test. The lowest selection index in the 99% range for the last 9 years is as follows: </p>
<p>Lowest 99% N’tl Selection Index #
2011: 211
2010: 214
2009: 212
2008: 212
2007: 212
2006: 212
2005: 215
2004: 213
2003: 214</p>
<p>Of course, just because scores for the nation as a whole dropped doesn’t mean it dropped for every state. Even in years where scores drop, the cutoffs for some states can go up if, for example: (1) the # of test takers in the state goes up, (2) the number of HS graduates goes down, or (3) the state does a better job of preparing its students for the test. But on the whole, it’s much better to see the national trend go down than up.</p>
<p>Thank you for your help clapuma 
. I am still curious as to why Washington had the sixth-ish highest cutoff for last year’s semifinalists. Perhaps the number of HS graduates dropped. (My local school might have, singlehandedly, accounted for that.) Also, on an irrelevant note, I lived in Europe for several years, so would I have had to have made the international cutoff for semifinalist (223-ish)?</p>
<p>Ok, now that SATs scores are in, son posted a 221 69, 72, 80 on PSAT and 1900 on SAT 590, 610 and 700. I am guessing this doesn’t validate the 221 and he is likely going to take again anyway. Concern is does NMC “superscore” or is it a one shot score system.</p>
<p>A 1900 isn’t high enough for any qualifying score. </p>
<p>Usually, the minimum is 1960, which is why a student needs to aim for a 2000 at least.</p>
<p>Your son has until Dec to get the needed score…good luck! :)</p>
<p>No superscoring…single sitting.</p>
<p>What did he get the 590 in?</p>
<p>Does he have any practice books? Did he say if he ran out of time?</p>
<p>Took it cold. 590 in English. He will be practicing before the next time.</p>
<p>Have him practice the SAT Vocab words as well.</p>
<p>There’s actually a SAT shower curtain that you can hang in the bathroom!</p>
<p>[Top</a> 500 SAT Word Shower Curtain | Overstock.com](<a href=“Overstock.com: Online Shopping - Bedding, Furniture, Electronics, Jewelry, Clothing & more”>Overstock.com: Online Shopping - Bedding, Furniture, Electronics, Jewelry, Clothing & more)</p>
<p>Improving the CR and whatever he got the 610 in will make a big difference.</p>
<p>JuniorMint: The state numbers are odd for WA in 2010. The number of students scoring in the top ranges went down and yet it followed the national trend and went up 2 points (to 220) any way. A drop in the # of HS graduates would be one explanation. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, it looks like the # of testtakers and top scorers in WA went up in 2011. So WA might be one of the states that’s a little harder to predict this year. </p>
<p>As far as the applicable cutoff, I believe it is based on where you take the PSAT.</p>
<p>Thanks again clapuma! Does anyone think attending community college full time (Funded through the state’s Running Start program, which allows high schoolers to graduate with an associate degree.) for my junior and senior year would hinder my elgibility for NM?</p>
<p>In states like MA, DC & NJ, the cut-off does not seem affected by the lowest 99% national selection index, but rather go with national 99+ percentile.
Does anybody have national 99+ percentile in past years, 2007, 2008,2009…?
For example, it was 224 in 2010 and 222 in 2011 (current junior).</p>
<p>I did search and got this information for MA cutoff and national 99+ per percentile (works for DC as well). There was one year, class of 2011, when MA cutoff was one point higher than the national 99+ percentile. </p>
<p>MA class national 99+
??? 2013 222
223 2012 224
223 2011 222
221 2010 223
221 2009 222
223 2008 223
224 2007 225
222 2006 223
222 2005 224</p>
<p>I’ve been searching everywhere to see how my circumstances fit in with the National Merit Scholarship, but I’m getting nowhere! I live in Seoul, Korea in a military base. I go to school there, and no, the school is not considered an international school. I think it’s considered a U.S. school despite physically being in South Korea. My PSAT score was 216, and I am not sure what the cutoff is going to be for students like me. Does anyone have an answer? :(</p>
<p>I may be wrong as I could not find any validation on this, but I suppose that DOD schools would have to be seen as international schools. Presumably, the only other semifinalist cutoff that would apply would be your sponsor’s (the person you are a dependent on) state of address. For example, if your father/mother is from, pays taxes to, and holds residency in New York, your score might be considered by New York’s cutoff. (Generally, for a DOD child, this would be the state you would qualify for in-state tuition) However, I don’t think there was an opportunity to indicate such a state on your PSAT exam, and the next opportunity when you could provide NMSC with information would be when you fill out your finalist application (I think), and the semifinalists would already have been decided. So, I think you would be compared with the international cutoff. Non-US citizens do not qualify for NM, so ex-patriots must be who is meant by international students. As to what the international cutoff would be for the Oct 2011 PSAT, I do not know. I hope this helps.</p>
<p>“If you plan to study in another country when the test is given, you need to
contact the PSAT Office at: PSAT/NMSQT, PO Box 6720, Princeton, NJ
08541-6720 or email: <a href="mailto:psat@info.collegeboard.org”>psat@info.collegeboard.org</a> or call: 609-771-7070" </p>
<p>By the way, I feel I might be wrong on this because the international cutoff is very high (223-ish) and military schools are usually not distinguished by their stellar testing (I am not sure on that for Korea and Pacific schools, but Europe had, comparatively, poor schools). Perhaps, the low number of graduates, fewer slots for international NMSFs than stateside ones, and a few high scorers in the DOD system combined with other non-military internationals, would account for this cutoff. Thanks for the interesting question!</p>
<p>That really is confusing… I hope I’m not part of the international pool, though, for my own benefit! Thanks for the answer, JuniorMint!</p>
<p>No problem sarahyekim. On the bright side, even if you never know which cutoff pool you were placed in, you are likely to be a NM commended student. 216 is a high score and your experience abroad should be a tasty addition to your application. Several qualified posters have indicated that a drop in semifinalist scores could be possible, although the international score, I presume, would be very tricky to predict. I would like to be checked on this, but I believe that the New England boarding schools are capped at the highest score out of any state, while the international score is independent. Not sure though, bye!</p>