<p>There isn’t much “competition” at this point. There are 16000 NMSF. 15000 will make NMF. The 1000 who don’t make it will likely have caused the problem themselves…bad grades, low SAT, didn’t do the paperwork, discipline problem at school, etc. Your son’s essay will very likely be fine. </p>
<p>If the essay wasn’t fine, you probably would have noticed that fact the first time you read it. As you said, he just mentioned that the students stuck with a project when the teachers had given up. No problem with that.</p>