<p>i had a huge increase. sophomore year i had a 173and junior year (now) i got a 225. 52 points is alot. if u prepare anything is possible. i made several stupid mistakes on this year’s as well. i lost 4 points on math because i made a mistake on — What is the value of 3x^2- x + 1 when x=-1
only mistake too >_>.</p>
<p>i got the letter a few days ago. does any1 know where the college list is on there site? i cant find it!!!</p>
<p>I don’t think that it’s on their site.</p>
<p>aa6590,
if you’ll go to the national merit website, then go to the annual report, there is a listing of the sponsors (including colleges) starting at Pg. 18.</p>
<p>Where’s everyone sending their letters to?</p>
<p>What do you think: should a student send the recommendation service letters to their top choices (even if they Tier 1 universities) or should they send it to their less-than-enthusiastic-if-attending safety schools to maximize potential financial aid?</p>
<p>I’m going to send one letter to my dream school and one letter to a safety school. I honestly think that the top universities really don’t care all that much - most have mediocre financial aid for NMF. You can always list it on your college application without having sent an official letter beforehand.</p>
<p>has everyone gotten letters already? 
I was thinking I might be commended but now idk</p>
<p>the cutoff is 200, so if you got more than that you are commended. your school might not have gotten your letter to you yet though.</p>
<p>im in Ohio w/ 220 so im pretty sure im in, and i just got the letter from the natl merit ppl and was also wondering which type of colleges to put on there…dont some colleges require you to put them as your first choice in order to get the full ride?</p>
<p>also, one of my friends got a 202 but didnt get a letter (while one with a lower score did…all in the same state)…does getting a letter mean youre definitely at least commended?</p>
<p>Yes, getting the letter means you’re at least Commended (as long as you complete & return the info by the due date). </p>
<p>Is the cutoff score really 200?? How the heck did it go down that much? If it really is that low, your friend with the 202 is definitely commended & should call NMS. The only thing that might be a glitch would be if the student is not actually eligible (not sure on eligibility, but it’s listed on NMS website).</p>
<p>My son took the test in the fall of 2006 and scored a 219. He has not received any letter yet (although I haven’t checked today’s mail.)</p>
<p>The letter you are talking about… is that for students who took it in fall 2006 or fall 2005?</p>
<p>Fall of '06. The letter goes to the school, not the student. Some schools are not very good about notifying students promptly!</p>
<p>Also you have to be a Junior to qualify - Freshmen and Sophomores do not qualify,</p>
<p>My daughter was explicitly told that she made semifinalist by her principal Friday. After everything I’ve been reading here, it doesn’t seem possible that he would have that information yet. Can anyone explain? We live in NY and her score is borderline (218).</p>
<p>The commended scores just came out this week. She should have been given a letter to that regard.</p>
<p>thanks for the clarification that it is for the test in fall of '06. And yes my son is a junior. His school is also notorious for not sending out information in as timely a manner as I would like. So, I will be patient and see if the information arrives this week. I will also check with our neighbor who is also a Junior and find out if he gets a commended. I know that he scored right around a 200-202 on the test.</p>
<p>I’m a junior right now. I got 223 on my PSAT. When do I find out my status, and is that enough for finalist standing in NY?</p>
<p>For nearly all states, a 225 should get you to NMSF status. You will get notified in the fall of senior year (August or September) via a letter & packet about it sent to your HS counselor, which will be given to you. You have to complete an application to advance to NMF (based on grades, ECs, not having disciplinary problems, & I believe HS college counselor’s rec); 15,000 of the 16,000 NMSFs advance to NMF. NM does not publish official NMF cut-offs. Students are notified in February or March as to whether they advance to NMF. Since most apps are already in by then, you can sent a letter & e-mail to your colleges, updating them on your NMF status if you’d like.</p>
<p>Well, recently I got a small “thing” from my counselor sent by NMSC. I had to add my info to this site including two colleges I wanted my scores sent to. At what stage of selection am I at?</p>
<p>It means you’re definitely at least a commended student (because you scored about that cut-off, which is generally somewhere around the low 200s. It is NOT required that you complete the “thing” or provide the info, it is an opportunity for you to let two schools know that you did well enough on the SATs to be at least a commended student. There is no penalty for not filling out the info & it doesn’t have any effect on whether you’ll become a NMSF or NMF.</p>
<p>Thanks, it turns out she did get the letter. So, just to be perfectly clear about this, the New York State 221 semifinalist cutoff that someone quoted from The New York Times of April 22, 2007 was for the current senior class, and not for juniors who took the test in October 2006? And if that’s the case, is there any non-official information that might have caused a principal to tell a child that they made semi-finalist (current junior?)</p>