<p>Has anyone began to receive NM or National Achievement Finalist rejection letters for the class of 2014 yet? Historically, when are these letters usually received by students? I'm so stressed because my first and second choice schools will offer me substantially more scholarship money if I become a finalist. Thanks :)</p>
<p>Rejection letters usually start coming out in mid January. Do you have any C’s, or a low GPA? Disciplinary actions? What makes you nervous about not becoming a NM finalist.</p>
<p>At what point in the process do schools start offering $$$?</p>
<p>Usually the rejection letters get mailed out by about Jan 9th…</p>
<p>However, with the delayed Dec SAT, this process may get delayed.</p>
<p>Joe…some schools have already been sending out offers. However, if you haven’t rec’d any, there are schools that give awards to ALL NMF students who attend their schools.</p>
<p>My school doesn’t put the overall grades on the transcript, only the semester grades that should be averaged together. As a result, I have a few c’s on my transcript despite the fact that my final grade is a b. It’s really frustrating to know that this will probably prevent me from becoming a finalist. I’ll appeal and try to explain our transcript system though.</p>
<p>“Usually the rejection letters get mailed out by about Jan 9th…”</p>
<p>Does anyone know if rejection letters get sent to the schools or to students at their home address? I am just curious, as schools get everything else first.</p>
<p>It is only sent to the students themselves. Neither the school nor the media will be notified on who becomes a finalist as they were for semi-finalist status.</p>
<p>[National</a> Merit Scholarship Corporation - NMSP](<a href=“http://nationalmerit.org/nmsp.php#finalists]National”>http://nationalmerit.org/nmsp.php#finalists)</p>
<p>High school principals are also notified of finalists at their school and get certificates to give to students.</p>
<p>texas2bama, having separate grades for each semester of a class on the transcript is pretty standard. If you have quarter grades showing, that is less common.</p>
<p>Naper…the rejection letters get sent to the students, however, I think the schools are notified as well. </p>
<p>The NMF letters get sent to the school.</p>
<p>However, y’all can relax unless you have a known reason for rejection…2 or more semester C’s, low GPA, discipline problem at school, a SAT that is lower than about 1960, or you wrote a RUDE essay (a mistake or two won’t matter)</p>
<p>If you don’t have those issues, then there is a 99.99% you’re going to be a NMF.</p>
<p>Here is a story of 3 families whose kids got rejection letters last year for 2 C’s and appealed unsuccessfully. They had things like documented depression and other medical issues, death in family:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1447001-appeals-process.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1447001-appeals-process.html</a></p>
<p>Here is a 2-yr long thread on the topic. The most recent and relevant year, in Jan 2013, starts about page nine with plenty of kids rejected for one C. In prior years more C’s were permitted. It is interesting reading, particularly about the tone of NMSC rejections.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1271581-nmf-rejection-letters-go-out-very-soon-heads-up.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1271581-nmf-rejection-letters-go-out-very-soon-heads-up.html</a></p>
<p>If you are thinking of appealing if rejected, perhaps you should start a thread soliciting info from families who appealed successfully, to see what worked.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I will definitely get rejected due to some extenuating circumstances during my freshman and sophomore years involving bullying that causes my grades to slip. I’m sitting in at about 2 overall c’s but my school records the 9 weeks grades, and there are more c’s that I was able to bring up to mid b’s throughout the year. Its frustrating that NM doesn’t consider that I go to a very rigorous school, have only taken PAP and AP courses, and I clearly understand the subject matter if I managed to get 5’s on my AP exams. Does anyone know if national achievement is more forgiving with grades?</p>
<p>but my school records the 9 weeks grades</p>
<p>?
Your school puts 9 week marking period grades on transcripts? </p>
<p>I don’t think we’ve ever heard anything clarifying from NMCorp on this issue. I don’t think it’s fair if NMCorp rejects someone who has a “1st quarter C” but then brings that up to a “1st semester B”…when the other NMSF students’ schools aren’t reporting quarter grades.</p>
<p>And, as I’ve said many times, I doubt there’s ever been a home-schooled NMSF that didn’t make it over grades. ;)</p>
<p>Yes it does put 9 weeks grades (strange school, indeed). I guess all I can do now is wait and see. If it doesn’t pan out, oh well. Alabama is still the best choice for me and not becoming finalist won’t change my decision. 
RTR</p>
<p>How many C’s did you have for SEMESTER grades? </p>
<p>I would call NMCorp and ask if they only look at semester and year-end grades or do they consider quarter grades.</p>
<p>Why don’t you start a thread over in African American Students forum and ask what kind of grades are necessary to advance? It seems to be a bit harder percentagewise to advance in National Achievement. 13/16 advance to finalist, while for National Merit it’s 15/16. I don’t know the reasons for that. </p>
<p>You ought to call NMSC and ask to talk to someone in National Achievement office and ask them about grade requirements. They may or may not give you a straight answer, but it’s worth a try. And while you are on phone ask if they’ll also be looking at the quarter grades. I think you are saying you have 2 semester ‘C’ grades. Is that right? If you get good info, be sure to post on CC since there are lots of kids with similar issues.</p>
<p>I’m really anxious about this too with my C in chemistry from sophomore year (shouldn’t have doubled up on sciences). </p>
<p>I’m hoping we both make it OP!</p>
<p>Thanks! All we can do is keep our fingers crossed! Hopefully it all turns out well :)</p>
<p>Students are “notified of acceptance” at their home address February the 6th. does this mean notified by letter? And is it SENT the 6th or RECEIVED the 6th? I’m really nervous that maybe my guidance counselor neglected to include a transcript or rec letter or something. Do they notify you of missing items before the due date? I was never notified.</p>
<p>Sent the 6th… So you should get it soon thereafter in your mailbox</p>