Is National Merit Finalist a good admissions boost?

Colleges & Universities Georgia Institute of Technology
1

<p>I scored in the 230’s on my junior PSAT, so I’m going to be a semifinalist, and most likely a finalist. Is this important at all for GT? My CR-M-W SAT is well above the 75th percentile (high 2200’s, will probably retake next school year), my GPA is in the lower end of the 50th-ish percentile, and I will have done 11 AP classes by the end of HS. However, my EC’s are pretty weak. A little bit of sports, some volunteering, maybe a job. </p>

<p>Assuming that I become a finalist, would that overpower my weak EC’s and give me a great chance of getting in? Or is the national scholar thing completely ignored by GT?</p>

2

<p>Georgia Tech awards scholarships to National Merit Finalists from 500.00 to 2000.00 based on FAFSA. It probably helps but I would work hard on the essay and good grades in the fall semester of senior year.</p>

3

<p>It would help especially if you score high on SAT (which matters more than NMSQT I think). Of course it won’t make you a “definite” without good EC’s. But if you ask whether it helps, yes.</p>