National Merit Semifinalist Announcements.

[regentrude]

will be sent to the media for publication Wednesday, 9/11.

My question was answered. But if I change the title to "never mind", everybody will wonder what it was about.

 

 

[Laura in CA]

The media will be notified 9/11. Principals will hear this week.

[memphispeg]

Fingers crossed here!!!!

[Hoggirl]

Homeschoolers should have received letters by now, but if anyone is interested in cut-offs in the various states and the trends that cut-offs are showing thus far, you can look on the following link to College Confidential. In fact, there is a forum on that site dedicated solely to National Merit and its process which might be helpful to some. This particular link represents the combined efforts of the masses to determine the cut-offs.

 

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1427971-class-2014-nmsf-qualifying-scores.html

[Hoggirl]

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1427971-class-2014-nmsf-qualifying-scores.html

 

Here is another chart. See post #272. It's not completed yet, however. It's throwing the 2007 class into the mix because that was the last year that commended was 203.

[Luckymama]

Our state still isn't shown. So curious...

[Hoggirl]

The trend seems to be that most cut-off scores are +3 from last year. Last year's group was particularly low. However, some have gone to +4 from last year's cut-offs and/or have reached the high levels from 2007. Some seemed to have set all-time highs.

[Hoggirl]

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1427971-class-2014-nmsf-qualifying-scores-76.html

 

See post #1134

 

ETA: Post #1151 is better.

A nice compilation that shows this year's scores by state as well as the differential over last year's. Class of 2013 was a rather low year. Class of 2014 has a commended of score of 203. Commended has not been this high since 2007. As you can see from post #1151, almost all states went up (in fact, I think only one stayed the same as last year). Some states have all-time highs as well.

 

I tell you what, those CC folks are a smart bunch!

 

Someone found where FairTest had posted cutoffs by state and then apparently realized they were two days two early and took down the info. That person still had the info in their browser!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Yikes based on the CC info my state went up 5 pts. Glad ds still has a year to study.

[Barbara H]

The FairTest list is up.

 

The lowest is 203 for West Virginia and Wyoming and the highest is 224 for Massachusetts and New Jersey.

[Hoggirl]

^that list from CC was finalized based on the posting of the FairTest list.

 

That post #1151 on that link I posted has the best compilation because it compares it to last year's results.

[Luckymama]

Wow, Alaska!

[regentrude]

Interesting list.

 

Never seen the fairtest website before: can somebody explain to me how the PSAT can possibly have anti-female bias :confused: ???

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Interesting list.

 

Never seen the fairtest website before: can somebody explain to me how the PSAT can possibly have anti-female bias :confused: ???

Fair Test seems to take a difference in scores as evidence of a bias in the test itself.

 

I see NM as one of the few scholarships that are really just student merit rather than based on some interesting hook. But then I was a semi-finalist and hope a couple of my sons will be too.

[Brenda in MA]

I see NM as one of the few scholarships that are really just student merit rather than based on some interesting hook. But then I was a semi-finalist and hope a couple of my sons will be too.

The NMF would really only be a true student merit award if there was a uniform cut-off for NMF nationwide. I don't buy the need to make it "regionally fair". What about the kids in DC in the poorest high schools that have high cut-off due to the number of prep schools there. Is that fair to them? The whole system makes no sense to me.

 

I agree that FairTest seems to believe that the test would only be fair if it selected an equal number of kids of each ethnic group. I wonder why no one is compiling statistics on how many athletic scholarships go to kids in each ethnic group. I've never seen any outcry about fairness in that arena.

 

Brenda

[Hoggirl]

The commended cutoff is a nation-wide score, but that's not where the $$$ is.

 

Yep, on Alaska. I think it is one of the more "volatile" states.

[Laura in CA]

Yikes based on the CC info my state went up 5 pts. Glad ds still has a year to study.

I haven't seen anyone mention this, but my understanding is that the big rises in cutoffs this year are just a result of the fact that this PSAT was (apparently) easier than in previous years, leading to higher scores everywhere. IOW, it's not because kids were smarter this year, or prepping more ... so, no need to stress. (Easy for me to say ... we're done! :D )

 

Someone in the CC thread even mentioned how yes, the cutoffs are way up this year, but last year they went DOWN quite a bit ...

Someone at CC is planning to post a list of (recent?) all-time highs and lows for each state ...

 

 

ETA: Here is a post from last year's thread about how scores had gone DOWN from the previous year ... up to 8 points lower (Alaska, again -- very volatile!).

 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

The NMF would really only be a true student merit award if there was a uniform cut-off for NMF nationwide. I don't buy the need to make it "regionally fair". What about the kids in DC in the poorest high schools that have high cut-off due to the number of prep schools there. Is that fair to them? The whole system makes no sense to me.

 

I agree that FairTest seems to believe that the test would only be fair if it selected an equal number of kids of each ethnic group. I wonder why no one is compiling statistics on how many athletic scholarships go to kids in each ethnic group. I've never seen any outcry about fairness in that arena.

 

Brenda

 

Well that is a good point. Especially about the effect that a large pool of private schools would have on score cut offs.

 

But I can also see the sense in having some regional distributions.  That could be in part because geographic representation is such a consideration with service academies and that's my area of greatest experience.

 

And I very much agree with you on the athletics comparison and Fair Test's point of view.  I thought they tipped their hand on their webpage when they were complaining about NCAA using SAT as a factor in determining eligibility for college athletics. An athlete with a 2.50 gpa would have to have an 820 SAT (combined Math and Verbal).  That is about 100 points below the subsection scores that are considered benchmarks for college readiness (IIRC).

[Hoggirl]

I feel like the regional difference is working against us in a different way.

 

We live in one of the lowest cutoff states. but my ds has a score that would have qualified anywhere and then some. However, especially now that the NMSC no longer allows high scorers or even semi-finalists to send scores to two chosen colleges as they have until this year, there is no way for any college to know that my ds didn't just make semi-finalist status because we live in a low cut-off state. Thus, being a NMSF from our "dumb" (you KNOW I don't literally mean that!) state may not look as impressive as being a NMSF from a "smart" state. Yes, he has other test scores that are strong, but at the competitive schools he is applying to, I think *any* additional anything that is favorable would be helpful.

 

If I am being totally honest, it was my sheer pridefulness that made me give him the goal of qualifying anywhere. I am quite certain it will NEVER come up, but if anyone ever says to him, "You only made it because you are from __________," he can truthfully reply that that is irrelevant as he would have achieved that award no matter what his home state had been. Just being honest.

 

Pretty goofy, eh?

[regentrude]

I feel like the regional difference is working against us in a different way.

 

We live in one of the lowest cutoff states. but my ds has a score that would have qualified anywhere and then some. However, especially now that the NMSC no longer allows high scorers or even semi-finalists to send scores to two chosen colleges as they have until this year, there is no way for any college to know that my ds didn't just make semi-finalist status because we live in a low cut-off state.

 

I don't understand what you wrote. The PSAT scores were never meant to be sent to colleges, and you don't need them -  you can send the SAT scores instead, which would be roughly PSAT score times ten. You student's SAT score would show his ability just as much as the PSAT score, and be comparable on an absolute scale.

 

As an aside: you are free to put whatever test scores you wish to put on his transcript, if it is important to you that colleges know his PSAT score.

 

ETA: We are in the same boat: state with a relatively low cutoff, but DD qualified by a good margin. Shrug. the colleges have her SAT and ACT scores and can judge her performance based on those.

[Hoggirl]

^Yes, I know. I do understand all of that. I'm just a bit bummed that until this year, all high scorers (the group of 50,000 that comes out in May) were able to send their actual PSAT score to two colleges.

 

And, you're right. He has good scores on both his ACT and SAT.

 

And, yes, my ds is putting his PSAT score on his resume. We don't have the freedom to put it on his transcript because he is at a B&M school now.

 

I freely admitted I was goofy. ;)

[memphispeg]

 

 

ETA: We are in the same boat: state with a relatively low cutoff, but DD qualified by a good margin. Shrug. the colleges have her SAT and ACT scores and can judge her performance based on those.

Big congrats to your DD.  BTW - we are from a low cutoff state but, eldest DD got great aid from a top LAC due to her being a finalist to some extent.  

[TranquilMind]

I don't understand what you wrote. The PSAT scores were never meant to be sent to colleges, and you don't need them -  you can send the SAT scores instead, which would be roughly PSAT score times ten. You student's SAT score would show his ability just as much as the PSAT score, and be comparable on an absolute scale.

 

As an aside: you are free to put whatever test scores you wish to put on his transcript, if it is important to you that colleges know his PSAT score.

 

ETA: We are in the same boat: state with a relatively low cutoff, but DD qualified by a good margin. Shrug. the colleges have her SAT and ACT scores and can judge her performance based on those.

MIne would have qualified...but just missed it when they raised it 12 points this year!!  Yikes.  That's annoying as heck. 

[regentrude]

MIne would have qualified...but just missed it when they raised it 12 points this year!!  Yikes.  That's annoying as heck. 

 

I am sorry :-(

[TranquilMind]

I am sorry :-(

Thanks.  Congratulations to your daughter. 

[Tree Frog]

I'm trying to figure out why we haven't heard from dd's ps. I was eagerly awaiting results after reading everyone else's, but our public school says they're not out yet and dd can't find info on the Nat'l Merit site as to when results will be released. I must be missing something. DD is a current senior and took the PSAT last spring as a junior. Any idea why you all have heard about the results and we haven't? (I read/scanned the links when they were posted, but haven't since then.)

[Barbara H]

I'm trying to figure out why we haven't heard from dd's ps. I was eagerly awaiting results after reading everyone else's, but our public school says they're not out yet and dd can't find info on the Nat'l Merit site as to when results will be released. I must be missing something. DD is a current senior and took the PSAT last spring as a junior. Any idea why you all have heard about the results and we haven't? (I read/scanned the links when they were posted, but haven't since then.)

 

The PSAT is only offered in the fall - did your dd take it last October?  She should have received scores last year.

 

The semifinalist lists were released to the media on Sept. 11. Finalist applications are due very soon.

 

National Merit Phone number (847) 866-5100

 

 

[Tree Frog]

Barbara H, thanks for the reply. I'm on mobile view to try to speed up the forum and don't know how to quote in this mode.

 

DD took the PSAT with everyone else, so it was probably in Oct, not in the spring. She received her score; according to the sites previously listed, she is probably going to receive only a commendation. It sounds like many other people have received physical confirmation of their student's status and dd's school is saying they don't have any information to share. Perhaps the difference in notification is the public schools receive their notification later than homeschoolers.

 

When you say "the semifinalist lists" are you referring to the scores or names of the students? If dd's school hasn't received notification and finalist applications are due soon, perhaps the school didn't receive any semifinalists. I would be very sad if that's the case!

 

I will call the phone number you listed for more information. Thanks again!

[Tree Frog]

Well, in talking to my dd again this morning, the counselor's office did receive the information but doesn't have letters for the students yet. They were able to provide her with an e-mail of all the students who were commended (all names but hers were blacked out) for her college visit. The question I was asking her was not the question she was hearing. It's a good reminder for me to be very clear and ensure she understands what I'm asking! Thanks for your help.