<p>D received her letter today at school. Principal was an A** about giving it to her. Score 215 in state of Michigan. I should let you that he was an A** about it because I work at the high school and he does not like me. My D and I have called him out on to many lies. </p>
<p>@Grammargal, we’re sitting on 214 in NY too. I told DS last winter that there was really no chance, and there really isn’t, but here I sit anyway 
. Either way, all the kids here have done an amazing job and have great prospects ahead of them.</p>
<p>My son has not been notified yet, but he’s not near the cutoff for this state, so it’s just annoying at this point. I was feeling a little miffed that he hadn’t received the Carleton postcard since he put Carleton down to receive SAT scores last sitting. It came in the mail today. I guess mail runs a little slower to the south.</p>
<p>Just a quick question: is the 201 national commended score cut-off official or is that still in question as well? TIA </p>
<p>We’re in the same boat in OR. D has 214, so I told her that her odds were slim to none. But… OR had an unprecedentedly high cut off last year, and 214 is in the historical range, so…here I am waiting for some news.</p>
<p>Carleton college card came in today. 222 in CA</p>
<p>ok, I gave in and looked up Carleton college - a small liberal arts school in Minnesota - I had no idea. Alll I can say is ‘brrrrrrrr’</p>
<p>DD was a NMSF last year, and she did get a card from Carleton, congratulating her on “being considered for the National Merit Scholarship Program,” and describing how to make an origami frog from college mailings. Presumably other colleges’ mailings, since their card was too stiff and too oddly sized to work with their directions. Is this the card folks are talking about? We enjoyed it so much that it’s still posted on our fridge.</p>
<p>Wouldn’t it be a little strange if only one small college from Minnesota sends out congratulations to NMSF students before the actual announcements? Yet, DD got one, and DS (who is very unlikely to make the cut) didn’t get one. Weird.</p>
<p>Yes, Grammargirl, I’m betting it’s 216 as well.</p>
<p>So sorry @greatfallsmom, I had hoped the news would be better. So much for DC tracking with the highest state then, or do we have another? I was really pulling for you. His other feathers are nothing short of amazing, and I’m sure he’ll land on his feet. Hopefully he’ll be one of those kids that comes out saying he was happy with where he landed in the end, and NMSF might have changed his happy path. I wish you both well. All of his scores are fantastic.</p>
<p>AP with distinction is a good feather as well, and surely worth far more than the cheap paper they printed that on.</p>
<p>P.S., I like the idea of adding the 223 to the commendation honor! </p>
<p>Thanks @PAMom21. I think that putting the number is a great idea too - at least the college rep will know he was really close!</p>
<p>@greatfallsmom, if you feel certain schools would see value in your son’s PSAT score (all of the most selective schools will focus on SAT, GPA, etc.), I’ve heard there is a website that “certifies” “Acadium” scholars, which the site has defined as students that would qualify for NMSF in at least one State. Your son would be a 50-State Acadium Scholar (assuming no State comes in above 223). Not sure it is worth the trouble, but might be worth considering. If your son was not looking for one of the NMSF based college scholarships, then he should not sweat too much narrowly missing NMSF status. Good luck!</p>
<p>Any news about TX cutoff’s ?</p>
<p>Yes, @mdcmom, that’s the card. Maybe it’s still on it’s way (just wanted it for the origami) but you can be a NMSF without getting it. I’m wondering if they used a national score or went state by state guessing the cutoffs.</p>
<p>@rrd9800 Lowest I have heard for Texas is 218 but I don’t know if that was the cut off.</p>
<p>It has been settled as 218 from a valid source. If there was an issue with it, we would have heard a while ago since it was one of the first ones to be validated.</p>
<p>My D and I visited Carleton College in Northfield MN at the end of March this year (our Spring Break). Brrrr is right! There were 8 foot piles of snow on the ground and sub-arctic winds. My D said…ah, no thank you!</p>
<p>Long time reader and first time post: DD made it with 218 in Texas and was informed by GC. Not sure if it went lower or not.</p>
<p>Can someone please tell me what this Carleton card is? I thought it was location-specific but somebody in CA got it? </p>
<p>It’s just a fun flier from Carleton College in Minnesota, looking to entice high level students to check out their school. The odd thing about it, though, is that it tends to come a little bit before NMSF are announced, and it congratulates the students on being “considered” for National Merit. One wonders how they choose whom to send it to. :-S </p>