National Merit commended status . . . how to report?

[LynnG in Arizona]

My rising senior received the letter in April saying she had made the first cutoff in the National Merit competition based on her 2009 PSAT scores. Based on prior year state cutoffs, however, she is very unlikely to advanced to semi-finalist status. Thus, she is "National Merit Commended".

 

How do we report this or word this on her college applications? We're trying to apply relatively early this fall, before the official semi-finalist letters go out.

 

Do I list it under her "achievements" on the transcript:

 

National Merit Commended

 

? Or is there some better way to word it?

 

Thanks for any help you can give! :)

[Kathy in Richmond]

Yes, that would be fine. For my son, we put this under a section titled "Achievements" on the back side of his transcript.

 

My daughter just had a one-sided transcript. There was room for her test scores only (not her awards). Her schools all asked for honors & awards on their applications (the Common App does this), so she included this kind of information there. She also sent a activities & awards resume to some of her schools.

 

~Kathy

[KnitWit]

You can list it that way and then if you are pleasantly surprised, you can fax a copy of any other *award letter* you receive to the Direction of Admissions of any school to which you have applied.

[LynnG in Arizona]

Good idea!

 

That reminds me . . . would you all send a copy of the original letter along with the transcript, recommendation letters, etc.?

[Kathy in Richmond]

No, I wouldn't send a copy of the NM letter. They'll be more interested in the SAT or ACT scores anyway, and you'll send them official score reports of those.

 

~Kathy

[KnitWit]

No, I wouldn't either. If chosen, your child will have to name their first choice school, which will then enable them to be notified anyway. If there are changes, you have until May to do so.

[LynnG in Arizona]

Thank you, ladies! :)

[Hannah C.]

I was a National Merit Scholar, and I don't remember *ever* faxing my awards letters to any school. However, I was also in public school at the time, so that *may* have made a difference. I doubt it though.

 

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation refers to kids like your dd as Commended Students, but National Merit Commended seems to work better for a one-liner on a list of awards.

[emubird]

We forgot to put it on the list of awards for my daughter. I doubt it really mattered, as her ACT scores were in a similar range.

 

I don't know that anyone actually looks at Commended status. It probably doesn't really add anything to the application if the ACT/SAT scores are just as high. And I wouldn't send a copy of the letter, if it were me. There's usually a space for listing awards. That would be plenty.

 

I was a NM scholar. I think I listed it on my awards and that was it. By the time I applied, I don't think I even knew where the letter was.

[LynnG in Arizona]

I was a National Merit Scholar, and I don't remember *ever* faxing my awards letters to any school. However, I was also in public school at the time, so that *may* have made a difference. I doubt it though.

 

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation refers to kids like your dd as Commended Students, but National Merit Commended seems to work better for a one-liner on a list of awards.

 

 

I agree; that wording sounds nice. Thank you!

 

(And congrats on your recent marriage and baby! My husband and I got married half way through college and went on to finish our education. Worked out great and we've been married 22 years. Blessings to you! :))

[LynnG in Arizona]

We forgot to put it on the list of awards for my daughter. I doubt it really mattered, as her ACT scores were in a similar range.

 

I don't know that anyone actually looks at Commended status. It probably doesn't really add anything to the application if the ACT/SAT scores are just as high. And I wouldn't send a copy of the letter, if it were me. There's usually a space for listing awards. That would be plenty.

 

I was a NM scholar. I think I listed it on my awards and that was it. By the time I applied, I don't think I even knew where the letter was.

 

I see what you're saying. We'll go ahead and list it on her awards.

 

Thanks, everybody!

[KnitWit]

Hi, I came back to clarify that the reason we faxed future award letters from National Merit (my dd reached finalist status) is because two of the schools she applied to still offer LARGE merit packages for semi and finalists. It was the admissions office that instructed us to keep them abreast of my dd's progression through the competition.

 

Many schools are no longer finding it necessary to try to lure the National Merit students and have done away with those benefits. However, there are still PLENTY who offer large discounts or even full rides to finalists. It is CERTAINLY worth looking into.

 

I highly recommend taking it upon yourself to inform your school choices of any and all changes in your child's status. It is not something I'd assume someone else is going to do. There are far too many students in this program.

 

Just my .02

[LynnG in Arizona]

Hi, I came back to clarify that the reason we faxed future award letters from National Merit (my dd reached finalist status) is because two of the schools she applied to still offer LARGE merit packages for semi and finalists. It was the admissions office that instructed us to keep them abreast of my dd's progression through the competition.

 

Many schools are no longer finding it necessary to try to lure the National Merit students and have done away with those benefits. However, there are still PLENTY who offer large discounts or even full rides to finalists. It is CERTAINLY worth looking into.

 

I highly recommend taking it upon yourself to inform your school choices of any and all changes in your child's status. It is not something I'd assume someone else is going to do. There are far too many students in this program.

 

Just my .02

 

Yes, that makes complete sense. Several of the schools to which my daughter is applying give *wonderful* merit scholarships to Ntl. Merit Finalists.

 

The issue with us, though, is that I'm 99% sure she will not advance to semi-finalist status, at least based on prior year scores. We are proud that she reached commended status, but don't think she will go any further in the process.

[AnitaMS]

We mentioned my dd's commendation everywhere! In her achievements, in my "counselor's recommendation" letter. PLUS I put a photocopy of it in her transcript.

 

Because the commended status, she didn't have to pay application fees at several colleges! (They sent the money back! - cool!)

[LynnG in Arizona]

We mentioned my dd's commendation everywhere! In her achievements, in my "counselor's recommendation" letter. PLUS I put a photocopy of it in her transcript.

 

Because the commended status, she didn't have to pay application fees at several colleges! (They sent the money back! - cool!)

 

Thank you for a different perspective! It sounds like everything worked out well for your daughter! Did she end up advancing to semi finalist status, if I can ask?

[Kareni]

Near the top of my daughter's transcript where I included information such as name, address, phone, birth date, gender, school (Homeschool), graduation date, and cumulative GPA, I included a small box with two bullet points. Those bullet points stated National Merit Commended Student and AP Scholar. If you'd like to see how it turned out, I'd be happy to send you a copy. Simply send me a personal message with your email address.

 

My daughter also included the information in the awards/honors section of her college applications.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[LynnG in Arizona]

Near the top of my daughter's transcript where I included information such as name, address, phone, birth date, gender, school (Homeschool), graduation date, and cumulative GPA, I included a small box with two bullet points. Those bullet points stated National Merit Commended Student and AP Scholar. If you'd like to see how it turned out, I'd be happy to send you a copy. Simply send me a personal message with your email address.

 

My daughter also included the information in the awards/honors section of her college applications.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Kareni, I would love to see that. Thanks so much for sharing! I'll send you a PM. :)

[AnitaMS]

Thank you for a different perspective! It sounds like everything worked out well for your daughter! Did she end up advancing to semi finalist status, if I can ask?

 

She didn't advance -- she was a little frustrated, because advancing to finalist depends on the state you live in. If she had lived in our old state (Ohio) she would have advanced, but living here in Maryland, she was just under the cut off.

 

I guess it's the top x% (I forget the number) that continue on to finalist, and if your state has lots of high scores, the score you need to advance is higher.

 

Oh well! Being commended did get her her applications fees (for the state schools she applied to) refunded. That was kind of nice.

[LynnG in Arizona]

She didn't advance -- she was a little frustrated, because advancing to finalist depends on the state you live in. If she had lived in our old state (Ohio) she would have advanced, but living here in Maryland, she was just under the cut off.

 

I guess it's the top x% (I forget the number) that continue on to finalist, and if your state has lots of high scores, the score you need to advance is higher.

 

Oh well! Being commended did get her her applications fees (for the state schools she applied to) refunded. That was kind of nice.

 

I so understand your frustration! My daughter's PSAT score was high enough to advance in some states, but not others. Here in Hawaii we have mostly mediocre schools, but many of the private schools here are actually extremely elite and rigorous . . . so the cutoff for semi-finalist status is fairly high.

 

Of course, the official scores haven't come out for this year, but the cutoff scores are somewhat consistent from year to year.

 

Anyway - I think we can both be extremely proud of our daughters reaching commended status, truly! :)