Endorser submits National Merit app for homeschooler--was it always like this?

[Bristayl]

I just got dd's National Merit Semifinalist letter. Apparently after I do my part and she does hers, we have to submit the Finalist application to the Endorser (an educator whom we select) who is responsible to send the whole thing to National Merit! I had had the impression that dd could submit the application and the Endorser just submitted the recommendation. Have homeschooled applicants always had to have the Endorser submit the application?

We'd better pick a trustworthy Endorser who will submit the app by the deadline . . . 

[alewife]

8 hours ago, bctnln1059 said:

I just got dd's National Merit Semifinalist letter. Apparently after I do my part and she does hers, we have to submit the Finalist application to the Endorser (an educator whom we select) who is responsible to send the whole thing to National Merit! I had had the impression that dd could submit the application and the Endorser just submitted the recommendation. Have homeschooled applicants always had to have the Endorser submit the application?

We'd better pick a trustworthy Endorser who will submit the app by the deadline . . . 

No, that wasn't how it worked in the past. The endorser used to just submit the recommendation, the student submitted her part, and the guidance counselor submitted her part.

Congratulations to your daughter!

[regentrude]

It was like that 5 years ago when we did it. Student and guidance counselor submitted their parts, but the whole thing got submitted to National Merit when the endorser pressed the button

[Bristayl]

I just thought I remembered someone saying their student had submitted their app but the endorser had not yet, but NMSC would still accept the app because the student had submitted it on time, even if the endorser was a few days late. But my instructions say that when dd and I finish our parts, we are to submit the app to the endorser, who is to submit it to NMSC by the due date. It just makes me a little nervous to put the submission of the whole app in someone else's hands, lol!

Here's the exact wording in case anyone is curious:

>>You will need to designate a person to complete a letter of recommendation, provide characterization information, and endorse your homeschooled student. This person must not be related to you or your homeschooled student and should know the student in an academic capacity. Once you and your homeschooled student have completed your portions of the application, you will submit the application to this Endorser and he or she will complete the remaining sections of the application and transmit it to NMSC. Before e-mailing the temporary credentials to the Endorser, please confirm that he or she is willing to complete the recommendation and endorsement and transmit it to NMSC by the deadline.<< 

 

[M&MsMom]

Yep, that's exactly how we had to do it last year.  It left me feeling uneasy as well, but the endorser we chose knew how stressful the whole thing is and got it submitted in plenty of time,  Just choose wisely and keep the lines of communication open.  

Congratulations to your daughter!

Edited August 28, 2018 by M&MsMom

[Lori D.]

2 hours ago, bctnln1059 said:

I just thought I remembered someone saying their student had submitted their app but the endorser had not yet, but NMSC would still accept the app because the student had submitted it on time, even if the endorser was a few days late. But my instructions say that when dd and I finish our parts, we are to submit the app to the endorser, who is to submit it to NMSC by the due date. It just makes me a little nervous to put the submission of the whole app in someone else's hands, lol!

Here's the exact wording in case anyone is curious:

>>You will need to designate a person to complete a letter of recommendation, provide characterization information, and endorse your homeschooled student. This person must not be related to you or your homeschooled student and should know the student in an academic capacity. Once you and your homeschooled student have completed your portions of the application, you will submit the application to this Endorser and he or she will complete the remaining sections of the application and transmit it to NMSC. Before e-mailing the temporary credentials to the Endorser, please confirm that he or she is willing to complete the recommendation and endorsement and transmit it to NMSC by the deadline.<< 

 

What about a tutor, or local homeschool co-op teacher who knows your student from working with the student, and would love to see your student succeed with NMS? Can you go with a good, reliable friend who is a teacher or administrator who knows your student and seen how your student has grown academically over the years? Or with a reliable fellow homeschooler who has known your student through the years of home education? That way it is someone you know will be reliable, but who also fulfills the "knows the student in an academic capacity".

Wishing you and your student all the BEST in landing some big $$ for all her hard work! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[alewife]

4 hours ago, bctnln1059 said:

I just thought I remembered someone saying their student had submitted their app but the endorser had not yet, but NMSC would still accept the app because the student had submitted it on time, even if the endorser was a few days late. But my instructions say that when dd and I finish our parts, we are to submit the app to the endorser, who is to submit it to NMSC by the due date. It just makes me a little nervous to put the submission of the whole app in someone else's hands, lol!

Here's the exact wording in case anyone is curious:

>>You will need to designate a person to complete a letter of recommendation, provide characterization information, and endorse your homeschooled student. This person must not be related to you or your homeschooled student and should know the student in an academic capacity. Once you and your homeschooled student have completed your portions of the application, you will submit the application to this Endorser and he or she will complete the remaining sections of the application and transmit it to NMSC. Before e-mailing the temporary credentials to the Endorser, please confirm that he or she is willing to complete the recommendation and endorsement and transmit it to NMSC by the deadline.<< 

 

Hmmm.  this may have been me.  My oldest had a "problem" with his recommender.  Despite more than one email, he still hasn't submitted his part by the stated deadline.  I called NM and they told me that my son had completed his part by the deadline and that they wouldn't hold my son responsible if the adult was late submitting his part.  The recommender ended up being a few days late, but there was no problem with NM as my son and I had already submitted our parts.  (Maybe the file wasn't officially submitted to NM, but instead went to the endorser, but the person I spoke with at NM knew that my son had submitted his part before the endorser had completed his part.)

[RootAnn]

Doing some searches tonight looking for some answers for something else & ran across "Trying to decide how offended to be by the National Merit Process" from 2015. So, it has been that way for awhile at least.

[Bristayl]

Ah, I apparently had no memory of that post! Thanks for pointing me to it!