<p>*It’s an ironic form of affirmative action for the states that are the most against affirmative action. *</p>
<p>It’s not affirmative action. Those who make NMF from low-scoring states are the highest performing in that state. If it was “affirmative action” then ethnicity would be part of the equation. In fact, since the low cut-off is often related to the “poorness” of the state, it’s actually the opposite of AA. Those who oppose AA often support economic AA (meaning that the parameter should be income, not ethnicity.)</p>
<p>And, stop assuming that all/most of the kids from those states have low scores. The low cut-off just means that they have to go that low to get the top 1%. It doesn’t mean that most/all NMFs from those states have low PSATS. There may only be a few at that low cut-off. No NMF at my son’s school “just made the cut-off.”</p>
<p>For instance…Michigan has a cut-off of 209. Do you really think that all/most of the MI NMF’s are scoring 209? I doubt it. </p>
<p>As for those who have high SAT/ACT, yet didn’t make NMF because of PSAT scores and didn’t get scholarship money, then you chose to apply to schools that don’t give good scholarships for SAT/ACT scores. That was your choice.</p>
<p>My NMF son has free tuition, housing, and a few other goodies. My non-NMF son has free tuition plus $4500 per year in scholarship money. A bit of a difference, but not a huge one.</p>