<p>This might have been asked before, but I am wondering when we find out if we are semi-finalists/finalists for the National Merit Scholarship. I live in NY and I got a 229 on the PSAT in October of 2009, which according to the cutoffs, likely indicates that I'm at least a semi-finalist. When am I notified about this?</p>
<p>We are also in NY. Daughter’s guidance counselor said it would happen early September.</p>
<p>runi27: Official notice should be in September, but with your score you should plan on being officially recognized as a NMSF. I don’t think the cut-off anywhere has ever been over 225. I imagine it is frustrating knowing you will be a NMSF, but not having the “official” notice. My daughter was in the same situation last year, but is all worked out. </p>
<p>Have you been looking at the threads on schools that offer generous scholarships for NMF?</p>
<p>I have been looking at those threads proud_mom, and I’m a bit confused. Do you need to say that the school w/ the NMF Scholarship is your top choice in order to get the scholarship?
I got a letter from NMS asking if I wanted to send my scores to two schools, and I picked UPenn and Cornell (because these are my top choices) but they obviously dont offer NMF scholarships. So does that mean I’m no longer applicable for other college’s NMF scholarships?</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses</p>
<p>don’t worry, runi27, you haven’t burned any bridges. The letter you got last spring (and your response) is simply a favor to colleges to help them make contact with that pool of students who earned commended or NMSF status. Dating, but not match-making, if you will. There are schools who want you to indicate that they are your first-choice in order to get the scholarship, but that happens much later in this whole process.</p>
<p>Got it, thanks iloveLA</p>
<p>Here are the official dates from NMSC for commended and NMSF students</p>
<p>34,000 Commended Students. In late September 2010, more than two-thirds of the 50,000 high scorers will receive Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise, but they will not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships. However, some of these students may be candidates for
Special Scholarships provided by corporate and business sponsors.</p>
<p>For those moving on, schools may get the information earlier than Sept. 2010 i.e. in late August and some schools (mandated in some states like MN) may not release the names of the SF in their school until after Labor day. With a 229, your child will be a NMSF.</p>
<p>16,000 Semifinalists. In early September 2010, nearly a third of the 50,000 high scorers will be notified that they have qualified as Semifinalists. Semifinalists are the highest-scoring entrants in each state. NMSC will notify them through their schools and provide scholarship application materials explaining requirements to advance in the competition for National Merit Scholarships to be offered in 2011.</p>
<p>NMSC said they are mailing semifinalist names on August 24 to high schools. So your high school might know by Aug. 25-27, just 2 more weeks from now. Good luck everyone!</p>
<p>If there is a slower, more cryptic, process than National Merit, I am yet to see it. Why they can’t release the names of the NMSF in the spring is a mystery to me; they have obviously identified the top 50,000 in order to send out the April mailing. Then people could know what was at stake as they took SATs, as well as work on their applications over the summer. Does anyone have an accurate understanding of the minimum SAT score that they want to see as confirmation of the PSAT score? Finalist announcements occur too late to have any relevance to college admissions. The whole process of choosing the First Choice school is unclear, particularly about one’s ability to change that designation after the fact. It just seems the most curious process.</p>
<p>Anyone with a PSAT score of 224+ (from any state) can be assured of becoming NMSF.</p>
<p>I don’t think the cut-off has ever been higher than 223 in any state.</p>
<p>The current highest cut-off is 221.</p>
<p>UT84321, call NMSC and they will tell you what they consider confirming SAT scores. In years past, it was low relative to the psat SF cutoffs-if memory serves, in the 600’s on the subtests. 15/16 SF will become Finalists. Some don’t because they don’t complete the SF application, or maybe had alarmingly low GPAs or SATs, or didn’t get their HS’s recommendation. You might as well aim as high as possible anyway on your SATs, which could bring you other kinds of merit scholarships. Only half the Finalists get some kind of NM scholarship, which are not huge (you can look these up on NMSC’s web site) but SF status can help attract other, nonNM scholarships,which can be large. The process is convoluted, and waiting is not easy particularly if your score is borderline for SF (look up past cut-offs for your state on other threads). You’ll know soon enough about SF, and in time for college apps.</p>
<p>
A couple things. “At least a semi-finalist” and asking “we find out if we are semi-finalists/finalists” makes me think you don’t understand the process. You are notified in September if you are Commended or a Semi-Finalist. Semi-Finalists then fill out an application to become Finalists. You don’t need a certain score for Semi-Finalist then a higher score for Finalist.</p>
<p>[National</a> Merit Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.collegeplanningsimplified.com/NationalMerit.html]National”>http://www.collegeplanningsimplified.com/NationalMerit.html)</p>
<p>Scroll down for last year’s cutoffs by state. They will likely be within 1-2 points of this year’s.</p>
<p>Agree with UT84321, why they make kids wait almost a full year (!) to find out their nmsf (or Commended) status is beyond me. It makes filling out college and scholarship applications unnecessarily complicated.</p>
<p>My D is homeschooled so hopefully the letter will be sent to my house asap. I’d like her to do the paperwork before she heads to college–starting a year early. Waiting to hear from everyone when the letters start arriving :)</p>
<p>What state are you in?</p>
<p>*My D is homeschooled so hopefully the letter will be sent to my house asap. *</p>
<p>Did she take the exam at a nearby high school? If so, the info may get sent there.</p>
<p>I scored 230 on my PSAT but was not contacted in April. Does this mean I didn’t qualify?
**
“In April of the junior year, a total of 50,000 high scorers from the
PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index (math, critical reading and writing)
will be contacted to determine qualification for program recognition.”**</p>
<p>Your score is high enough! </p>
<p>Are you a citizen or green card resident?</p>
<p>Maybe the letter got overlooked at home?</p>
<p>Contact your GC at school. She can look into it.</p>
<p>Does your score have * next to it?</p>
<p>Are you a rising senior? Did you take the PSAT junior year.</p>
<p>I don’t think I received anything at home and I meet all other qualifications. I’ll ask my GC if she knows anything about it. Thanks, Mom!</p>
<p>Need to add, if you are a green card resident, you may have to write a letter</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nationalmerit.org/citizenship.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nationalmerit.org/citizenship.pdf</a></p>
<p>Is there a * next to your score?</p>
<p>Call Nat’l Merit Corp 847-866-5100 </p>
<p>FYI…NMCorp code 0085 to send SAT scores</p>