<p>Has anyone heard from the National Merit Scholarship Corp regarding finalist status? What is the biggest factor in getting to the next level?</p>
<p>I was named a finalist and I heard from my school today! The schools get notified before we do. The letters were sent out Feb. 1st, but it may take a few days for them to be delivered. My school didn’t even realize they had to let us know; they thought we knew already. I was just excited enough to check with the front office. And the biggest factor, honestly? Being a semi-decent student. Approximately 15,000 out of 16,000 semifinalists make the cut. It’s less of a cut from semifinalist to finalist and more of a weeding out of sorts. Students who receive poor grades, regularly get in trouble at school, don’t meet the 1960 SAT requirement, or write rude essays are cut. If you were one of those students, though, you would know by now as the rejection letters go out in January. The recommendation and essay, really the whole application, are more for the selection of the scholars (the ones who receive the $2500) than the finalists.</p>
<p>My son just found out yesterday. Finalist! He listed Vanderbilt as his first choice, and he’s accepted. Does that mean it’s pretty much a given he’ll get the University Sponsored Scholarship? Like with OU, if you list them and get finalist you pretty much automatically get the scholarship (which is $5K a year at Vandy, not a full ride like OU), or is it more complicated than that?</p>
<p>A rep from OU told my son that you only get one offer. They said you should accept what ever offer you get and their OU scholarship plus what National Merit offers is used to make the total. I guess you should check with the individual schools to be certain.</p>
<p>I just got my letter in the mail. It was torn in half, which suggests that it might have had an unpleasant adventure on its way here. Any info on the other half’s whereabouts is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>I got my letter on Saturday. I think the biggest factor is making sure that you do as well on the actual SAT as you did on the PSAT.</p>