Is it too soon for colleges to know that a student made NMSF status?

orangepop · 07-01-2008, 01:38 PM

I have read before that some students found out they were semi finalist for National Merit before they were officially notified, since they had received some letters from colleges congratulating them a bit too early.

Is it still too early in the summer for that? Son got a letter today from a college (unsolicited) that congratulated him on a good PSAT score and I was wondering how they knew.

Are all the students who are in the running at this point on a list the colleges have access to, or does that just happen after semi finalist cutoff is decided?

Maybe they found out another way such as in an online form he filled out for something that he doesn't remember. That's more than likely the explanation.

Just curious about the timeline for this notification.

ignatius · 07-01-2008, 01:58 PM

Official notice is in late August/early September.

My oldest d was right at the cut-off point and found out by default (no notification) that the NMSF cut-off raised by 2 points in TX her particular year (from 215 to 217). The wait was difficult and ultimately disappointing.

Youngest d's PSAT is a 228 so she is well above any previous cut-off point in our state. Schools automatically assume she is NMSF and send her info that more or less corroborates that assumption.

Have no idea how the scores released to the different colleges.

bartleby · 07-01-2008, 03:46 PM

Colleges buy from the CB lists of names/addresses of people who score in certain ranges they are targeting to apply to their institution. These include ranges of scores that are below (often significantly so) qualification for NMSF.

There are lists on CC of what scores make you a NMSF in a specific state.

ellemenope · 07-01-2008, 03:57 PM

Cutoff for the commended plus semifinalist scores has already been made because those students were asked by NMS to designate 2 schools of interest in the spring. I'm sure that this is a list that CB sells to those schools who target high scorers.

The official designation of NMSF will be done in the early fall--the other students who were part of the commended plus semifinalist group spotlighted in the spring will be commended. Colleges can't know who is an NMSF yet, but the cutoffs from previous years are known and doesn't change a whole lot from year to year.

orangepop · 07-04-2008, 04:53 PM

Thanks for the responses. Guess we'll just wait and see in September. That will help determine where he applies, based on what different places might offer.

bartleby · 07-04-2008, 06:26 PM

Commended has recently been 200, nationwide.

orangepop · 08-19-2008, 04:21 PM

If commended has run around 200, my son should probably make that. I don't think he'll make semifinalist; his score was 2 points lower than I thought it was for some reason. I had another number in my head. If Iowa drops a couple points he could be in, though. I guess even having commended is something good to put on a college application if he is trying to get into some place selective. I'm sure some schools care and some don't. Still a nice honor if you ask me.

swimcatsmom · 08-19-2008, 04:28 PM

here is last years thread about the cut offs
OFFICIAL National Merit Semifinalist Cutoff Scores 2007

they change every year of course but it will give you an idea if your son is close

reasonabledad · 08-19-2008, 08:06 PM

DD is just above the edge of the cut-off for our state using last year's number. I wish CB would announce -- I'm very curious.

HarrietMWelsch · 08-20-2008, 10:39 AM

Probably towards the end of this week, and definitely next, you'll see kids begin to post about their notifications. Usually it begins with kids in the south or other regions where school starts early.

You can start to figure it out state-by-state then.

fireflyscout · 08-20-2008, 12:37 PM

Keep an eye on the SAT forum - we'll probably have a thread to collect cutoff scores there.

magneticpoet · 08-20-2008, 01:13 PM

What's the biggest jump that might happen in a cutoff score? It seems like last year's all dropped because of the writing section, so I wonder if there will be a significant upswing this year...

CarbonLifeForm · 08-23-2008, 08:05 AM

I thought I'd bump this to the top because I'm wondering about this issue myself. I can't remember DS score, but it is well above the posted cut off for our state. Here's the thing, I don't remember him getting something to tell him to submit his scores to two colleges . . .

I'm going to be a wreck by the time this senior year is all over. I just know it!!

ignatius · 08-23-2008, 09:13 AM

CarbonLifeForm: "I thought I'd bump this to the top because I'm wondering about this issue myself. I can't remember DS score, but it is well above the posted cut off for our state. Here's the thing, I don't remember him getting something to tell him to submit his scores to two colleges . . .

I'm going to be a wreck by the time this senior year is all over. I just know it!!"

************************************************** *******

The letter re the National Merit Board notifying two colleges about your interest was given to my d in the Spring last year at school. D's school expects 9 NMSF and 16 Commended students based on last year's scores and the letter was given to all since the cut-off hasn't been established. The letter made it clear that notifying the two schools was completely optional and affected nothing - pretty much it was to let two particular schools know of your interest. D picked her two schools literally the last day (on-line) because she was just starting to think colleges and "just two" made her feel that she was making some sort of decision that she wasn't prepared to make - not the case, of course. Both schools are in contact with her: one because she has visited twice and expressed interest - I have no idea if the NM notification plays a part in the contact; the other school emailed, mentioned the notification, waived the application fee and started an admissions file on her. She was quite impressed and pleased.

S probably got the same letter re the notification process at school two years ago and didn't make it home with it. Didn't make any difference any which way at all - which even the letter pointed out. Some schools respond and some schools don't.