<p>From my understanding, CB chooses 16,000 semis based on the cutoff score. But then they choose 15,000 finalists right? So....its obvs not THAT rigorous, but what kinda stats would you need to NOT become a finalist?</p>
<p>Can you get Finals with less than 3.5?
Would weak extras disqualify a kid? </p>
<p>Or is it only extreme stuff like a kid with 2.4GPA getting a 236?</p>
<p>It would have to be bad behavior or bad grades. There is another segment that doesn’t bother finishing up the paperwork because they are going to an Ivy (make sure you send your SAT to the National Merit people!)</p>
<p>Well, there are actually quite a few requirements to make finalist. There’s an SAT score, grades, principal’s recommendation, paperwork, etc. The SAT cutoff is around 1960, and I don’t know much about the grades. As long as your principal is willing to write the rec and you get everything in, you shouldn’t have any problems (assuming you have decent SAT and grades).</p>
<p>I’m assuming that most of the 1,000 either score below the SAT cutoff or don’t write the essay. That’s all that I can think of.</p>
<p>The most common reason, I speculate, for not making Finalist is that people don’t take the SAT or don’t send their scores to NMSC.</p>
<p>GPA can definitely be a cause. 2 kids at my daughter’s high school (a very challenging math/science school) did not make it from semi to finalist because of grades. Both had straight As their first 2 years of HS but struggled Junior/senior year when they went to this school (as did my daughter, went from being a straight A student to “thank God she passed” student). </p>
<p>I don’t think a 3.5 would be a problem though.</p>
<p>Crap grades/SAT scores or bad behavior. IMO, the most likely reason would be the semifinalist not sending in the application on time (if at all).</p>
<p>My youngest son just got his scores back yesterday and scored a 227. We are concerned that he may not make finalist because he took AP Bio and got a D+ second semester( he missed a C by one point). His overall gpa is 3.6-3.7 and he was the only one to take this class as a sophmore, but still a D on a transcript can’t look too good. What do you all think? Ever known someone with a D to still make finalist?</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>I don’t know about a D…however…</p>
<p>Was there a “year end” grade for the class? What is on his transcript? (my kids’ school ONLY reports year-end grades)</p>
<p>Also…if your child gets a rejection letter in January 2012, then immediately appeal. Many appeals work.</p>
<p>(P.S. I would also appeal to the teacher/school to find out if anything can be done to bring that grade up to a C. Did he take the AP Chem test? How’d he do?)</p>
<p>Our school does not post a year end grade, just semester grades. He did pass the AP test with a 3. I will try appealing to the teacher but I am not sure how much she can do at this late date.</p>
<p>EDIT: Wrong thread.</p>
<p>Anyone else know someone not make finalist due to a low grade/grades, but otherwise good stats?</p>