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<p>The $2500 NMSC scholarships are prorated by state, the same as NMSF. So the threshold SAT scores for these scholarships can be expected to vary by home state just as the required PSAT scores do. </p>
<p>Yes, it is true that they are prorated by state - but, the general statement prevails, highest SAT confirming scores are most likely to win NMC scholarships. Even though a state may have a lower NMSF cutoff score, they most likely still have a bunch of really high SAT scorers.</p>
<p>See this page for state SAT reports: <a href=“http://research.collegeboard.org/programs/sat/data/cb-seniors-2013”>http://research.collegeboard.org/programs/sat/data/cb-seniors-2013</a></p>
<p>What I don’t know is if the proration is a function of percentage of high school graduating seniors in a state vs. the entire country, or some combination of graduating seniors, PSAT test takers and SAT test takers in a state vs. the entire country. Since a state like TX has 1348 NMSF (5577, 7237, 4312 students receiving 700-800 SAT scores in CR, M & W), they must get more NMF and more scholarship winners than a state like North Dakota that has only 34 NMSF (31, 34, 16 students getting 700-800 SAT scores for CR, M and W). About 95% of NMSF make it to NMF, but how are the scholarship winners prorated? Anyone know?
(NMSF state numbers are from the NMSC annual report, page 23)</p>
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<p>The proration is according to the number of graduating seniors in each state vs. the national total.</p>
<p>OK I know there has been a lot of discussion on this forum about 1960 being the minimum SAT required to corroborate a NMSF PSAT score and reach NMF, but D’s GC just told her to retake SAT for a third time because her 2070 may not be high enough to reach 2015 NMF. She scored 214 on PSAT. I think GC is wrong, D absolutely does not want to retake SAT for third time, and D’s ACT was much higher so no need to retake SAT but for NMF. BUT, GC is experienced and good, HS usually has 25 or so NMF each year so GC should know what she is talking about, and I am hesitant to reject her advice. Opinions? Any way 2070 is not high enough?</p>
<p>vistajay, I agree with you that the 2070 should be high enough for NMF, but depending on the state you are in, the 214 could be on the bubble, especially if you are in an eastern state or in Calif. My D just took the SAT and we have a couple of weeks until her scores are posted.</p>
<p>Did you do the calculation taking out the Writing essay score? The calculation is CR+M+10X the multiple choice portion of the Writing score. Go into your D’s college board account and see that subscore (go to MY SAT, drop down to my scores, look just under, click on, understand your test performance, see page with scores, drop down to Step 1, click on your writing score, see the multiple choice score)- so just guessing here, but say 700 + 680 +(10X 68) = 2060. Your D is 100 points above what NMC has used as a confirming score for something like 6-7 years. If your D has a really low multiple choice subscore, that might be the reason for the GC’s concern, maybe a number like a 58, that puts her right on the edge. CALL NMC! Lots of people on this thread have called them and generally they have been helpful with information. They probably won’t give you a hard and fast number but probably some guidance at the very least.
It’s always worth a call for some peace of mind. If you hear something other than the 1960, please let us all know.</p>
<p>Thank you @BobWallace, I knew that NMSF were prorated as a state percentage of total USA graduating seniors, didn’t know that scholarship winners used the same formula. Do you think they take gender into account, at all, as girls are a higher percentage of graduating HS seniors? </p>
<p>Forgive me if this has been asked and answered, but does the essay required to move from Semi-finalist to Finalist change from year to year? Is there a way to see what the essay will be over the summer?</p>
<p>@numbersfun, thanks you certainly live up to your name!</p>
<p>@suzy100, I don’t know the answer to your specific question but when boys (08, 12) went thru the process, i do remember thinking the (semi to final) application wasn’t too labor intensive or too difficult. Even if you can’t see it until they send you the notification, I don’t think it’s something you need to preplan or worry about. Just a thought. </p>
<p>OK, that’s helpful @FromMD. I’m just trying to see if I can get D to tackle as many essays over the summer as she can. She doesn’t know that yet, though. :-" </p>
<p>It seems that a lot of things happened while I was stuck under other pressures. I called the NMSC and only heard that they CANNOT confirm whether the student is on the preliminary list or not until SEP, because of their policy. She first asked the student’s name and school (which made me excited), but then only repeated that any students with 201 or over would be qualified for the recognition and even the letter to the principal didn’t have any information regarding SF status. I felt I was talking with an answering system, not with a real person. </p>
<p>If some of you got confirmation regarding the preliminary SF status from them, what is going on with the NMSC? Did they suddenly change the policy?? Is it true that the letters sent to the principals did NOT have information regarding the students’ preliminary status (i.e., commanded, SF)? I’m confused… I know my child’s school would be one of the last ones to share those information. Of 500ish juniors, they usually have around 20 or more SF, but definitely the school doesn’t care about it much. I do wish CB would make the info available at least on their site for the students, OR my child got 1 more point at PSAT. He would make it or lose it by a point… either one of them. This type of unnecessary waiting due to poor administration is not fun at all.</p>
<p>@pom2015, the only thing that has been distributed now is confirmation of the cutoff score for commended students. That is the 201 score. At this point we are all guessing what the individual state cutoff scores will be in the September announcement. If your child’s PSAT score is high enough that they would exceed the highest NMSF score of the past few years for your state (2013 for our state), then your child will likely advance in the process. If they are on the “bubble” for your state, then you will have to wait until September when the state-specific cutoff scores are announced. I hope this clarifies things for you. </p>
<p>I called College Board and they wouldn’t even confirm the 201, let alone anything about commended status. And I’ve heard nothing from the school, which is why I called. Apparently it makes a big difference who answers your call – from finding out nothing, to commended, to semi-finalist status. LOL why am I not surprised?</p>
<p>Some of the home schooler parents, who are the “principals” for their kids, shared the official letter they received that stated that the cutoff this year was 201. So that is how most of us found out. Multiple confirmation by different parents.</p>
<p>@numbersfun Does that 8000 number of only the highest scorers who are awarded the National Merit Scholarship mean just the one time $2500.00 award? Isn’t it true that if you qualify for a corporate NM scholarship that your name is taken out of consideration for the $2500 one time award? You cannot win both, correct?</p>
<p>Been following this thread since the beginning…my first post. GC confirmed that D’s name is on the “list” of students who scored 201 and higher. Confirmed 201. Said there are 32 students identified from our HS.</p>
<p>@saismom, I believe that you may only win one scholarship. So you’re correct that if you get a corporate scholarship you may not get a scholarship from the NMS Foundation. I don’t know if you are also taken out of consideration for a NMS Foundation scholarship if you get a school-sponsored NM award, but I think that you only get up to one NMF-designated scholarship. </p>
<p>$2500 winners are chosen first without regard to first choice school. There may or may not be some consideration behind the scenes if a NMSF is eligible for a larger corporate award. We had to enter the corporate competition for our employer by February of Junior year, well before semifinalists are even announced so NMSC certainly has that information in hand when deciding on the $2500 awards.</p>
<p>@saismom The 8000 includes ALL scholarship winners, $2500, corporate-sponsored, and school-sponsored and you can only be offered one.</p>
<p>There are approximately 2500 of the $2500 scholarships awarded.</p>
<p>@Stemfamily said it as I know it. You are eligible for one scholarship per possible NMF. My understanding is that if you are the possible recipient of a corporate scholarship (your parent(s) work for a firm that underwrites a scholarship), you are not considered for a regular NMC scholarship. I’m pretty certain you can’t get both - a corporate NMC scholarship and a regular NMC scholarship. I have assumed they figure out which one is more valuable - say a corporate scholarship that gives 2K/year vs. a regular NMC that gives 2.5K, once. I don’t know this for a fact as we don’t have a corporate NMC employer, so don’t need the info personally. Then there are the rules about first choice schools, still need to figure that out.
Also @BobWallace - agreed that there are 2500 of the $2500 scholarships.</p>