@3scoutsmom Same situation. Unfortunately, I think it is the same TX school. My thoughts on delay–counseling office does not care that scores have not been received and has not done much to follow up with College Board. But, makes no sense that they said were going to distribute on 12/12.
Any thoughts on the Illinois cutoff for Class of 2016?
I actually got a councilor to return an email today! She had written before Christmas that she would put the scores on Naviance as soon as they arrived. I replied that I didn’t think my D’s Naviance account was being updated because several test scores were missing. She personally updated the missing test scores even though she’s not my kids councilor so that a step in the right direction. She also said that the school called the College Board yesterday and got confirmation that the scores has been sent to the school, I hope this is true.
@crowlady I did ask the College Board about the email I was told there was no way to generate an email, that they were sent in blocks starting after the first of the year. They were able to confirm that they have the correct email for my D. She didn’t out and out say but I think those emails are only sent X number of days after the CB sends the scores to schools. I really think the school messed up some how.
@TXmom22 did your head of the guidance department suddenly announce his retirement on the last day before Christmas break? If so then I’m sure it’s the same school! Given his sudden retirement and the fact that some GC’s were overheard saying they might need to ‘reorder’ the PSAT scores before Christmas break, I think the school messed up some how but I do think they have it resolved now. Crossing finger that!
@3scoutsmom Yes, he retired. Not sure if it was sudden bc I had heard it was happening in October I think. The school has not put out any announcement regarding. The retirement that I have seen. Would have been nice to have the scores for Jan SAT.
Got word that the scores arrived today and the kids can pick them up at lunch on Thursday. So much for putting the scores on Naviance as soon as they arrive… I’m just glad they are here!
where would the ny cutoff be for this year?
i’m really nervous because last year it was 218 and I got a 219 this year-- not hoping for much
so frustrating!
D went to school early and was waiting at the GC’s office door when they opened. She got her score, it’s official she is safely above the cut off and Palm’s method and Jacob’s link where spot on!
@3scoutsmom That’s awesome!!!
any thoughts on NJ cutoff?
Well, now I’m back to worrying again, was looking at the history of AZ psat cutoffs, apparently it jumped 4 points between 2009 and 2010 from 209 to 213 
@SMPak786, I will answer your question. The National Merit Scholarship qualification is determined based on your junior year PSAT score and a subsequent SAT score. The PSAT is scored against the other people taking it in your state, and only the approx. top 10% juniors in the state achieve qualifying scores advancing them to the National Merit Semi-Finals. Once having qualified for the Semi-Finals, you have to have an SAT score and grade reports that confirms your PSAT score, and that qualifies you as a National Merit Finalist (not many people fail to qualify for Finalist from Semi-Finalist but some do if the grades are poor). From Finalist to National Merit Scholar is a crapshoot. Only 1500 or so are selected as National Merit Scholars based on their applications. So for you, Georgia has National Merit qualifying state scores ranging from 214-218 over the the last five years. They won’t announce this year’s qualifying state scores until this fall, but you are assured with a 231 that you will be higher than Georgia’s cut-off. So congratuations, you will almost certainly be notified that you are a National Merit Semi-Finalist.
@spayurpets I think you mean top 1% not top 10%. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSAT/NMSQT
That’s right, thanks for the correction. It’s around 15,000 NM semi-finalists out of 1.6 million juniors, or 1%.
My school just gave out our scores yesterday, quite a wait! Just to be sure, 223 in Ohio is safely above the cutoff right? Any prediction on the Ohio curve?
Also I don’t know much about the process from semifinalist to finalist, is there anything I need to do or will I be getting information?
Patience, padawan. They will tell you in due course (this fall), but the path from semi-finalist to finalist is pretty much assured. Your school will have to send in a grade report and the school has to recommend you, and there are some simple questions and an essay to fill out. You have to get a “confirming score” on the SAT by December, and that has traditionally been a 1960. But unless you really tanked your grades or didn’t bother to fill out the application, there aren’t that many people cut at that stage and 9 out of 10 advance. I’ve heard of one person at my D’s high school in the last five years who didn’t go from Semi to Finals and I think it’s because his grades were bad.
@VaishS You will need to take the SAT sometime this year to get a “confirming score”.
Try not to get any C’s. Even semester C’s.
@spayurpets 2500 (not 1500) Finalists are awarded the one time $2500 National Merit Scholarships. Approximately another 1000 are awarded corporate-sponsored awards and another 4000 get college-sponsored awards. So the total number of NM Scholars is about half of all Finalists.
What’s this I hear about state norms coming out in February? What exactly are they and when do they typically come out?
They are state specific reports that give the mean score for the individual subjects, but not the actual total. You get this data nationally too, but again, without the total that would be much more helpful. You also get the number of student scoring 75 above, 70-75, etc, for each specific subject, which is fun to play around with. It’s all fun to speculate with, and the basic up or down direction of the data is possibly even predicting.
You can start off by looking at the recent past for your state:
http://research.collegeboard.org/programs/psat/data/cb-jr
See that national decrease highlighted on that first page? That persisted through most states, and was the first solid indicator that our (class of 2015) scores might go down).
But don’t get too excited about “February”, as for the past two years, I believe that meant the 28th, 
. At least it’s not a leap year!