<p>First I'd like to apologize for my ignorance. I just got my scores, hoping to qualify for a scholarship but I'm finding conflicting information on the internet.</p>
<p>here's my understanding so far - if you're in the 97th percentile, you're a semifinalist. if you're in the 99th percentile, you're a finalist. (I'm pretty sure this is wrong).</p>
<p>Can someone please explain this to me and tell me my chances of a scholarship with a score of 216?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>It depends on your state. I’m in CA and scored a 215 last year and got a “Letter of Commendation” which means that I was 99th percentile but not good enough to be a semi-finalist.</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply. To be clear being in the top 99th doesnt guarantee Semifinalist or finalist?</p>
<p>The best way to find the answers to your questions is to look in the “Financial Aid” forum and the “National Merit” subforum. </p>
<p>My quick response is this: As you suspected, your understanding so far is incorrect. If you meet the cutoff for your particular state, you will be a semifinalist. That cutoff may or may not be in the 99th percentile nationally because it varies by state. Nobody becomes a finalist immediately by virtue of his or her score; semifinalists who advance to finalist status do so after completing an application, which includes an essay, grade information and a confirming SAT score, at the beginning of senior year. </p>
<p>You are right that being in the 99th percentile doesn’t guarantee being named a semifinalist. Furthermore, someone could be named a semifinalist but fail to reach finalist status for such reasons as failing to submit the application, failing to take the application seriously (for example, by writing a sarcastic essay), having disciplinary problems or scoring too low on the SAT.</p>
<p>I encourage you to check the National Merit thread, in which you can find historical state-by-state cutoff information and answers to questions you haven’t yet considered!</p>
<p>Explanation from the National Merit Scholarship Corp:</p>
<p>[National</a> Merit Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.collegeplanningsimplified.com/NationalMerit.html]National”>http://www.collegeplanningsimplified.com/NationalMerit.html)</p>
<p>I think the PSAT’s purpose is generally to predict your SAT score. (Well, and for NMSC purposes, of course.)</p>
<p>Mine did almost exactly. </p>
<p>PSAT 213
SAT 2140</p>
<p>Here is a list of the qualifying scores by state for the class of 2011 [National</a> Merit Scores | National Merit Qualifying Scores](<a href=“http://www.studypoint.com/ed/national-merit-scores/]National”>National Merit Scores) .</p>
<p>Even though being a National Merit scholarship winner is what is most appealing to colleges, any sort of recognition in this capacity looks great on an application.</p>