@prodesse I was wanting to ask the same question. I fould this on the NMSC website that seems to answer from the NMSC side of it. As far as how the school and local media handles, probably varies a lot.
http://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/interior.aspx?sid=1758&gid=2&pgid=439
@prodesse , for one, on 9/13 you can call NMC office if you’ve not been informed by your HS, and they will give your the info. As for press releases and such, it is wildly inconsistent and depends on your location. What we see in my area is one or two of the state wide newspapers will list all the NMSFs in the state by school. Community sections of smaller papers will list the ones from that county. Individual schools will post pictures of NMSFs on their web site or send them into the local paper. But the press releases do not necessary happen 9/13. Maybe one or two but the rest will trickle out over the next month.
D was just called into her principal’s office to hear the good news. What’s really surprising is that out of 26 commended students, only four became NMSF, which is very low for her school. That 222 cutoff in California must have made it tough for a bunch of those kids.
crickets
If we don’t hear on the 13th, I’ll call NMSC. I emailed the principal about excused absences for college visits, and his reply referenced “this exciting time” for our family, but that’s as close as he got.
D was called in but not given the access code. AARRGGGHHH!
Just got a text from S18 that he got called down with the other semifinalists from his school for a little “yay” meeting. I hope they gave him his letter with the code!
Hey guys!! Can anyone help me out? I think I might’ve gotten the scholarship, but I’m not sure. I live in Florida, and havent had school since last wednesday because of Hurricane Irma, and likely won’t the rest of the week. I actually don’t have power and can only make this post because I’m at a friends house.
ANYWAY, I got a selection index of 219, and I saw on this one website that Florida’s cutoff was 219, which would mean I am a semifinalist!!! Can anyone confirm this please?
@saxynerd
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/2013355-class-of-2018-nmsf-qualifying-scores.html#latest
It looks like you made it! Congratulations!
@ShrimpBurrito Thank you so much!!!
@saxynerd
Congrats. Be sure to understand the difference between being named a Semifinalist and “gotten the scholarship”.
Ok! You’re right, I didn’t get the scholarship. I have to fill out another application with good sat scores right? I got a 1500 on my SAT.
Well, @saxynerd, filling out the application then makes you eligible to possibly become a National Merit Finalist. Spend some time on the National Merit Scholarship Corporation website:
http://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/interior.aspx?sid=1758&gid=2&pgid=424
And poke around here on the National Merit forum of CC when you have the time. Hopefully your guidance counselor will be able to provide more info once you can go back to school. Good luck to you. 
For others still waiting, the two NMSC envelopes arrived at our school in Northeast PA this morning.
Still have not arrived at our school in CT. Headmaster is going to call tomorrow.
Still not arrived at our school either … school is calling today!
Just one more day until we can call NMSC if necessary! I don’t think it will be needed in our case since I believe they just wait until press release day to inform the students, but still it’s good to know.
At the senior parent info session last night, the head counselor talked about the suggested lead time for recommendations. They want 15 school days to prepare counselor and teacher recommendations. I sure hope they don’t take that long to prepare the NMF counselor letters! Either that or I hope they’ve already started on this year’s NMF letters since they’ve likely had the NMSF list for at least a week by now. I’m not truly worried about it because the school district tracks and values NMF numbers so they’re motivated to help the NMSF students move on, and they usually do get everyone through to NMF. Still if that 15-school-day lead time applies to the NMF application process I’m glad to know it because S will have to get that ball rolling right away after he gets his application tomorrow.
Finally squeezed news out from our school this morning. Our students will be notified tomorrow by an announcement in their mailboxes. They told me NM does not allow them to notify anyone until the public notification day.
I responded that I knew it to be otherwise and they should reread their correspondence from NM to make sure our school was not provided with inaccurate information.
They then responded that it is actually school policy to not notify, guided by National Merit’s directive.
Yeah, I figure that’s the deal with our school system. I hate it when they say “can’t” when they really mean “won’t.” Good for you, for calling them on it.
Just got a call from a photography studio. First she congratulates me on S18’s NMSF designation. That caught me by surprise! Then she says S18 needs to get into her studio pronto so he can select his senior yearbook picture, because that picture will also be used in the NMSF brochure the school is getting ready to release on its web site. Here we go!
My D was finally notified by her school today. Not her usual counselor, but a different one. He basically said good job and told her she would find out more details tomorrow. Finally!