<p>Hey there, Our kids just got their PSAT/Junior Year tests back. After hours online researching (and finding more different answers than similar ones) perhaps someone can enlighten me...I know my kid doesn't have a shot of an actual merit scholarship, but we're hoping for commendation, here are the questions</p>
<p>1) Is it true NM commedation is based on National percentile or number but the finalists are determined by state results?</p>
<p>2) I have read it's the top 5%, so it changes year to year with the difficulty of the test? She got 199 and was listed as 96 percentile...would she qualify? I guess she just missed 97th percentile. Someone said 1/2 the 96th gets in?
We are in NJ ...but again for commendation I don't think it matters</p>
<p>3) Commended students pick in June two schools to send their NM commendation letter to...what exactly does this do? Is it just a money thing or will it give you a leg up in admissions by showing a preference?</p>
<p>4) What's the strategy for where you should send these letters, your favorite schools, your "stretch schools" or ones your likely to get Money from?</p>
<p>5) Are there any other scholarship programs for runners up who aren't a minority and won't qualify for need-based aid?</p>
<p>salem1~NM commendation is generally based on the National percentile, and that generally is 96% and above, but I think that a score of 200 is the minimum for Commendation, so it could be that only the top half of the 96th percentile get it--which would be disappointing for your D!</p>
<p>The semi-finalists are determined by state results, which means that the National Merit people indicate the cut-off score for each state based on their students' results. Some states have a much lower cutoff than others, but they want representation from all of the states in the program. </p>
<p>Certainly colleges are impressed by the fact that you are a National Merit Commended scholar, but it is by no means a guarantee for admission. The most competitive schools have plenty of NM semi-finalists applying and they turn down many of those. You might want to have NM notify the 2 schools that would be considered you D's reaches. But you should certainly have your D mention their Commended status on all applications.</p>
<p>There are many scholarships out there for students who will not receive NM scholarship money. Check with your college counselor for a comprehensive list of what's available. There are websites that have that information as well. Some require lengthy applications and essays, others have an easier process. Every college and university has their own scholarship programs, not all of which are need-based or for minorities--check their websites for the infomation about their own programs.</p>
<p>tricky cause this year 200 is in the 97th percentile, last year it was 96th, so last year it was the cutoff...but this year???? One post said that maybe the top half of the 96th percentile? It would stink not to make it by one point</p>
<p>I agree, salem1. S1 has a couple of good friends who missed the semi-finalist cut-off by 1 point. Our area usually has one of the highest cut-off scores in the country, so if these students had lived just about anywhere else they would have been semi-finalists!</p>
<p>Maybe it's little morons like you who make parents roll their eyes and be grateful that their kids have better social lives, more friends, a meaningful relationship, lots of fun...keep having fun spending your days patting yourself on the back you little socially retarded loser. You may get into an Ivy League school but no teenager in their right mind with half a life and personality would switch places with you...little GEEK. Feel like a big winner on this web site do you? Too bad you can't take it to the prom!</p>
<p>Got my score in HK today-210....sucks cos i was expecting around 230.......i really screwed up the math-5 wrong=67. Got 4 reading wrong=72 and 3 writing wrong=71. 98th percentile overall.</p>
<p>Just remember this is the internet. Every single person posting could be some 57 year old guy getting access to the internet in a library, a 45 year old math professor at Yale, a 10 year old wise guy kid, an 80 year old guy in a nursing home, or a 37 year old who whittles corn cobs, a 16 year old girl, etc. </p>
<p>None of this is real for sure. Even the scores people post about themselves.</p>