Looks like most students should expect their letter from NMSC in the mail today as seen on multiple posts on this thread despite many not hearing anything from their school. That is the case here in SE Nebraska, nothing from school, but Informed Delivery with the good news. What a stressful couple of weeks!
Finally the letter arrived here in TX. It is regular sized envelop like @prodesse described.
Separately principal confirmed she has notifications too and plans on informing students on Friday or Tuesday (monday we are off). She also confirmed that I should receive a letter directly at home which we did.
Finally, it is all here.
Still no news here in Georgia. 4 day weekend coming up. Informed Delivery says I have no mail at all today. How is that possible? I am literally losing my mind. Pretty convinced son is not getting it and rejection was lost in the mail.
Got handed mine by my guidance counselor in NorCal today.
@Emory85 Have you checked with the school yet? Hang in there! Our Informed Delivery said no mail yesterday and it was right, we had no mail. First time since I started using it. I bet your letter will be there tomorrow!
@susan1323 I haven’t checked with the school yet. Was trying to wait it out. I think the time has come though. Will ask my son to check today. Update: Son will not ask, doesn’t want me to ask. Fingers crossed for Friday’s mail.
Informed delivery shows a letter for my D from NMSC arriving today, that looks larger than a standard envelope. I’m assuming this is good news. We’re In North San Diego County.
Still no word from the school, even though I asked the GC and the Principal.
Just got the letter that my daughter is a finalist!!! She now gets to decide which college to go to. I think she’s going for the big scholarship at UTD or UCF.
No mail today.
My finalist letter arrived today (suburb of Omaha). Still no word from school. Planning to attend Oklahoma for NMF scholarship.
No mail at the house today in SoCal, but we already heard from our GC.
Finalist in PA! Legal sized envelope arrived at the house today addressed to D. One-page First Class presorted. Good luck to all!
Congrats to all the students receiving their official notices this week (by mail and/or school notification), and well done to your parents. It’s a happy time so relish the moment. What a great capstone to your high school careers!
In southern Kansas and I just received my letter at home confirming I’m a finalist! It came in a regular business envelope for anyone wondering (I don’t know if my school has gotten their copy yet). So glad that this wait is over; now it’s time to start visiting and making decisions! 
Received my letter today in NH!!!
Excited, but also extremely underwhelmed– my mother opened my letter without my knowledge and just told me instead 
Couldn’t even tell ya what the envelope looks like…
Still, MONEY!!!
Letter home beat the certificate to my school in Northeast PA. My mom wants the certificate for a scrapbook, so I’m guessing NMSC would resend if more than three weeks pass. Anyone read of a similar request?
This is the dumbest way to inform folks. Even the test for which this contest started in the first place has a better way of informing people. In this day and age when there are so many quick and secure means of communication, they chose to use snail mail (presorted first class to boot) to inform folks (I have seen my mail returned to my mailbox by strangers that I know are not even my neighbors 3-4 houses down in any direction). Add to their dumb calculations, school districts also played coy and acted self righteous! What is this? A contest on who can keep their traps shut the longest? What about that parent in Florida that is still waiting for the letter, any letter? This is despicable and irritating at best. Truly boneheaded!
DD18 got NMF letter today in OH. Regular business sized. Since she had stated her first choice college, it was listed on the letter, I was surprised by that. I went back and checked DD16’s letter and it said that as of Jan 15th, she had not yet reported her first choice college. So I looked at the back of the paper, and I guess that only matters if you want to be considered in the first group referred to the institution for scholarship consideration if you have listed your first choice college by March 1st (specific to the National Merit college- sponsored awards, NOT the awards given by the colleges). I guess this is only helpful for those who already know where they are going and aren’t still waiting to hear back from a bunch of other colleges.
Received the finalist letter today in VA, ahead of school announcement.
My son’s senior class has 124 students with 15 NMF. That seems like a lot. His letter came today (they announced at school last week).