<p>I received my results last weekend and I have a 228, and I'm a semi-finalist.</p>
<p>There are so many guidelines to becoming a finalist; I would like to know the opinion of someone who has become a finalist: how hard is it to do that?</p>
<p>I have an SAT on Saturday. If I don't make this first one perfect am I out of the running?</p>
<p>It is not difficult at all to become a finalist. 15,000 out of 16,000 semifinalists become finalist. </p>
<p>As for the SAT, so long as you make over 2000, you should be fine.</p>
<p>Wow, that takes a lot of pressure off. Thanks. I had no idea so many semifinalists became finalists.</p>
<p>“I received my results last weekend and I have a 228, and I’m a semi-finalist.”</p>
<p>^ but please tell me you turned in your paperwork on time…it was due quite a while ago!</p>
<p>I think we are talking about 2010 grads PSAT result. Most of them have not even received the scores. I don’t think there is any paperwork deadline soon at this point.</p>
<p>You are aware that the cutoffs change from year to year, correct? I think you’re right- 228 is a great score - but some states have crazy high cutoff scores. You can find a list by searching CC… lots of posts on that subject. Don’t worry - if you’re a semifinalist, you’ll get a a packet with detailed instructions. You can also go to nationalmerit.org and check out the info there.</p>
<p>As for becoming a finalist, as long as your SAT is roughly comparable to your PSAT and your grades are good, you should be fine. For a lot of those who don’t get to be finalists, it’s often because they don’t turn in their paperwork on time rather than because of problems with their school records/SATs.</p>
<p>228 should be good enough no matter the state. The highest cutoff I’ve seen is 223 in MA and D.C. so I don’t think it’s going to jump very much in one year. You should be good to go.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, I am definitely a 2010 grad.
I see. Thank you.</p>
<p>Does anyone what the cutoff for California is for 2008? like the first cutoff, the one with 50,000 people (:
i still havent gotten my score yet, im so anxious</p>
<p>Nobody knows what the cutoff for the 2008 test takers will be, but the listing at this site (scroll down a bit) shows last year it was 217.</p>
<p>[National</a> Merit Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.collegeplanningsimplified.com/NationalMerit.html]National”>http://www.collegeplanningsimplified.com/NationalMerit.html)</p>
<p>The one with 50,000 people is the Commended score which is the same for the whole country. It was about 200 the last couple years.</p>
<p>You will be a finalist, don’t worry. I know 3 people at my school who got a 240. And then there’s me with me meager 208. Ah well…</p>
<p>PSAT 2010 scores just in. My daughter got a 228 and 2160 in SAT (Reading 670, Math 710, Writing 780) but she has 4Bs in her 11th Grade out of 8 courses. She has some community volunteering service experience. Does she stand a chance of becoming a finalist? What does one do to embellish the record to get a national merit scholarship? BTW, how much money is at stake in a national merit scholarship? Is this scholarship over all the 4 years of undergrad? Do big name schools give tuition scholarships to national merit scholars? Does she stand a chance at getting tuition scholarships at big name schools? Any input from parents/kids would be greatly appreciated!!!</p>
<p>As long as she doesn’t have any C’s, she should be good to go. Her SAT score is good enough to make finalist. She will need a good recommendation from her school counselor. What do you mean by “big name schools”? If you mean Ivies, I don’t believe they participate in NM. Rice will give $2,500. There are state schools that will give basically a “full ride” i.e. Texas A&M and University of Alabama.</p>
<p>Ami6210, Thank you very much for your feedback. Much appreciated! By “big name schoools”, I meant MIT, CalTech, and a couple of IVs etc. We can’t afford these schools anyway…no point thinking about them. We are certainly very interested in the “full ride”. So, will consider state schools like UT Arlington seriously.</p>
<p>A 228/2160 will make it from any State.</p>
<p>Over 90% of semifinalists make finalist; w/ a good SAT and remembering to do the paperwork, she should be good.</p>
<p>No “name” schools of the stature you mention offer anything to NMFs. Best deals are from schools such as U of Alabama honors college, full tuition plus housing, I believe.</p>
<p>For much more info on NMF stuff, go here [National</a> Merit Scholarships - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/]National”>National Merit Scholarships - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p>if we just took it this year (230) but did worse on SATs 2260
when do we get paper work?</p>