<p>How do you find out if you qualified to be a National Merit Semifinalist? I know there are some other steps in the process, and I was wondering if anyone could explain them? Also, does anyone know around what score would qualify you for it? I got a 213, and from what I saw, this would qualify some years and not others.</p>
<p>If you are over 200, you are a commended student...this is a national cutoff. Semifinalist is by state and varies from year to year because of quotas by state and their total quota of 16,000 semif-finalists. There is a post in this forum with cutoffs for the class of 2009.</p>
<p>In May, your school will notify you if you are being considered for "scholar" status...meaning at least a commended student and you are asked to make a preliminary first choice of college that can be changed at any time through May 1 of the following year. In early September, your school will receive packets for semi-finalists that they will present to you to complete in a short timeframe as they then have a portion to complete and send back to National Merit. Usually, this precedes the official announcment by a week or so and they ask you to keep your news to just your parents. The packet includes general application info to be filled in and an essay. School fills in your grades by quarter (they are looking to make sure your grades good and on the upswing), your senior courses (still challenging) and a recommendation. You have to make sure at least one SAT score is sent to National Merit...there is one more you can take that will qualify at that point and your score is expected to reflect your scholar status...so at least a composite of 2000. </p>
<p>Commended students are notified about a week later and told they are no longer continuning in the NM competition. SF not continuing as Finalists are notified in early January and Finalists (about 15,000) are notified in early February. Only 8000 receive money from National Merit, their corporate and college sponsors.</p>
<p>This statement is not accurate:
[quote]
If you are over 200, you are a commended student...this is a national cutoff.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The cutoff for Commended status varies each year, but has been the vicinity of the 200 point range. The official National Merit org site says
[quote]
Commended Students are named on the basis of a nationally applied Selection Index score that may vary from year to year and is below the level required for participants to be named Semifinalists in their respective states.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>ddd928 and Greta,</p>
<p>Thanks so much! This helps a lot.</p>
<p>Anybody if the national average rose or fell this year?
And if more or fewer juniors who are eligible for NMS and wanted to be included took this test?</p>
<p>JW if it is expected to be harder or easier this year be a NMS.</p>
<p>Thank you!!! I'm a junior, took the PSAT this fall and was wondering about National Merit....
Thanks very much!</p>