Replies to: Chance me--National Merit Finalist???

• #1

  intparent Posts: 14,711Registered User Senior Member

  January 2013

  You are fine if you did your paperwork and no disciplinary issues in school. Of the 16,000 semifinalists, typically 15,000 of them make it. Those that don't didn't do their paperwork, had poor SAT scores, terrible grades, disciplinary issues, or blew off/did something terribly controversial and stupid in their essay.

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• #2

  michellel Posts: 98Registered User Junior Member

  January 2013

  I'm with intparent. Because almost all semifinalists become finalists, all they need is a confirmation that you PSAT scores aren't a fluke. Your grades and other test scores are high enough that you're practically guaranteed a spot as a merit finalist.

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• #3

  mom2collegekids Posts: 65,607Registered User Senior Member

  January 2013

  You're fine.
  
  It doesn't matter about how many other NMSFs are in your state, and it doesn't matter if another NMSF at your school is "smarter than" you. Doesn't matter.
  
  You have the stats, you did the paperwork, you're not a discipline problem at your school, you're fine.
  
  Did you send your SAT score to NMCorp? If not, quickly do so...0085
  
  Rejection letters are being sent out NOW....

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• #4

  Ecollegy Posts: 17Registered User New Member

  January 2013

  Has anybody heard of rejection letters already received for Class of 2013 NMSFs?

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• #5

  SwedishM8 Posts: 309Registered User Junior Member

  January 2013

  Wondering the same thing is Ecollegy.

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• #6

  fredsfam Posts: 72Registered User Junior Member

  January 2013

  Ecollegy, swedishM8, you've probably already read elsewhere, but rejections letters are out...DS's was postmarked Jan. 9.

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• #7

  Leye13 Posts: 24Registered User New Member

  January 2013

  Does that mean that if we have not received a rejection, that we are finalists?

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• #8

  intparent Posts: 14,711Registered User Senior Member

  January 2013

  Not completely safe until you hear "yes" in a couple of weeks. But your odds are very good right now.

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• #9

  Leye13 Posts: 24Registered User New Member

  January 2013

  yay! thanks intparent

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• #10

  rjlee8658 Posts: 6Registered User New Member

  January 2013

  Does anyone know how much a finalist receives? I haven't gotten a rejection letter yet so I'm optimistic. Does the amount vary depending on the college one enrolls at, or is that an addition.

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• #11

  intparent Posts: 14,711Registered User Senior Member

  January 2013

  There is not one answer to this... some students get no scholarship funds. There are three "official" ways to get money:
  
  - NMSC provides one-time $2,500 scholarships to some students
  - Some NMF students get scholarships from corporations (usually they have a parent that works there)
  - Some colleges give specific scholarships to NMFs
  
  Generally you can only get money in one of these three ways (if you get one, you don't get the other two).
  
  This thread answers a lot of questions on this.
  
  http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1365011-faq-psat-sat-nmsf-nmf-process.html
  
  Read this this and see if it answers most of your questions.

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• #12

  rjlee8658 Posts: 6Registered User New Member

  January 2013

  Thanks intparent. The thread was certainly informative.

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• #13

  sosomenza Posts: 2,122- Senior Member

  January 2013

  You're a lock for finalist. NM Scholar is a little more trickier. But don't worry. The big free ride money is mostly for NMF.

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• #14

  comom2013 Posts: 50Registered User Junior Member

  January 2013

  Does anyone know if NMF will confirm finalist status prior to 1/31 for a parent? D was deferred for her Ivy application, but can submit an updated resume "in late January" for reconsideration. We'd like to claim NMF, of course, but cannot do that if we haven't heard for certain. (straight As, 2180 SAT, all paperwork in). Based on the tougher criteria this year, though, I'm not going to make any assumptions.

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• #15

  rjlee8658 Posts: 6Registered User New Member

  January 2013

  The NMF website states that results for Finalists don't come out till February so I'm leaning towards the idea that it's after 1/31. Either way, NMF won't make much of a difference from NMSF since only 1,000 of the 16,000 NMSF don't become Finalists.

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