Congrats @Ynotgo 
No uni classes today so we’re discussing essays this afternoon. She doesn’t know it yet, but our “discussion” will morph into filling out the Ole Miss app and the non-essay parts of the Common App.
I’m sneaky like that 
Congrats to our growing list of NMSFs! some are still hopeful but news on scores is coming in rather slowly. @srk2017 – I am concerned about work once school starts and my DS’s long way to go on college apps – and has to prep still for the SAT Physics but hopefully that won’t add too much. Good luck to your DS on the workload (and to others already well underway at school). We start a week from today - still summer homework to do!
A post card from Miami U (oxford, OH) just came introducing their merit scholarship. The highest level (half to full tuision) has ACT:33+; OLD SAT:1440+; NEW SAT:1480+; GPA:3.5+ Rigorous. It said “highly competitive”, “not garanteed” and, “Award determination will be based on the official testing and high school transcript information”
@whataboutcollege …haven’t seen that one yet. Would be fantastic for us, but D hated the vibe of MiamiU. Beautiful campus though!
@Sorrento I remember that the HS counselor had to send everything into NMCorporation by a specific date in October, so they wanted the students’ essays the week before that.
Thank you for the info. Don’t get me wrong … We are grateful to be in the situation of having to deal with that essay ; ) And very happy to hear it may overlap with the CA one.
It appears none of the kids @ DS’s school are paying attention to NMSF. I asked one kid his score this morning and he said he got 1480 but no clue about SI! I guess most of them target schools that don’t give any merit aid based on NM(S)F tag.
@whataboutcollege my D got the same post card today. My parents went there, but D won’t even look because it is too cold and no actual sorority houses. I still think she would like it, but she knows everything!!!
@jeepgirl I could swear I saw sorority houses there!? Maybe I was wrong. There is a huge preppy vibe there. The campus is immaculate. If she’s into the prepared sorority vibe she totally needs to visit.
@srk2017 nobody in our HS really talk about National Merit because so few qualify. I think we had 1 semi finalist and some commended ( whatever that means) last year if I remember right. So a couple of kids out of 1600 students. Pretty rigorous public high in MA. The kids talk about sat/act scores, awards, sports teams, band stuff etc vs NM award.
I knew a long way back my son would not be close to being qualified so I never bothered to learn more about it.
Then in this group alone you have a bunch of winners, ha! I’m amazed. You all have some bright kids.
@carachel2 that is what my mom told me, but it could be different now. She has been back many times over the years. I will have to check. You are totally right about needing to visit. She is just being stubborn because she wants to be south!
Congrats to the NMSFs! How did you find out? I am wondering if DD got it. :-?
@cleoforshort What state are you in? Check http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19905529/#Comment_19905529 to see if there are any reports in for your state yet. Note that if it says <=, the state cutoff may be lower than those who’ve reported in so far.
@Ynotgo We are in CT. It looks like the SI was higher than anticipated? And here comes the whole college anxiety train roaring down the track! LOL
@cleoforshort – I am in CT also and have not seen/heard anything about CT cutoff scores. It does appear that scores are coming in at the upper end of Art’s projections.
Scroll down beneath blog posts to see Art’s chart of state projections. CA just came in lower than projected, so no real way to know now, unless your student scored 223 or above. I would be very surprised if CT came in above 219, but that is complete speculation.
http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/national-merit-semifinalist-cutoffs/
@RightCoaster - Our school produces around 10 NMFs every year but most kids don’t pay attention or prepare for it… Some of the kids who got PSAT scores <= 218 have 2350+ SAT and 35+ ACT. PSAT is too early for them to focus on it.
Just called the NM people. The official announcement isn’t until 9/13, kids are being notified by their GCs who are giving them applications. My kids haven’t gone back to school yet, so unless my daughter finds out during a college meeting on Friday, we will not know until next week at the earliest.
In other news she has been getting mailings from Washington University in St Louis and Smith College explaining the scholarships available. Smith has asked her to apply for STRIDE and Zollman scholarships. Neither school is on her list.
Good news though, we put her under the hot lamps and got four schools that are on the short list! I told her college advisor that I was now dumping it in her lap to see if they can come up with an ED school.
Congratulations to the NMSFs so far ! @Ynotgo @Mom2aphysicsgeek @caroldanvers @disshar @Tgirlfriend @lemetz @CT1417 @Dolemite @youcee @Felicita !! <:-P <:-P <:-P
@payn4ward …Thank you. Now to move on to the next phase of the NM process. I wish everyone still waiting the best of luck!!
Congratulation for all those who made NM semi-finalist. Exciting to finally 9 months later get the news.
@RightCoaster Wow… only one or two every year? S17’s school makes records because of the top number of semi-finalist they have every year, 80% of them make finalist. And at least twice as many commended. I’m assuming all the semi-finalists are listed in the commended list. And the big deal they make of it every year is the main reason I’m a bit sad S17 won’t make it (212 in CA I know there’s no chance). But I knew he wouldn’t make it last year, he barely studied & then didn’t have a good testing day. I was honestly surprised at the score he did get & that it’s above the commended line.