@whataboutcollege From my (admittedly limited) understanding, it’s for two reasons. 1) The commended cutoff is the lowest NMSF cutoff since they vary by state. 2) Traditionally, the confirming SAT score has not been extremely high, just high enough to verify that the student is capable of consistently attaining high test scores. It may well be that the compass prep writer @mommdc quoted above was correct and the confirming SAT cutoff will be lower than the commended cutoff for PSAT – that would be consistent with past trends.
@whataboutcollege Confirming is not going to be as tough. It’s to help make sure the original score wasn’t a total fluke. It’s a gate to NMF, but just a low gate.
FAFSA: Yes, I admit that I have not done it yet! I blame the IRS. Okay, partly the IRS but mostly me for procrastinating. I usually do our taxes, but 2015 was kind of weird with selling a rental property (loss) and some stock stuff I didn’t quite understand. I put it off and filed an extension. Then as I’m continuing to not think about 2015 taxes, we get audited (first time!) for 2014. As in “you owe us several thousand dollars.” 
Time for a tax accountant! He did an amended 2014 and found the IRS actually owes us the kingly sum of $11. I hope he knows what he’s doing and am still a bit nervous.
I think he sent in the 2015 the day before the deadline of Oct 20.
Soooo, the 2015 data is not yet available to import into FAFSA. And I’m sure not doing it manually. I don’t think it will matter too much if I miss a deadline as only a couple of schools show us being eligible for some teeny-tiny need-based aid (and they are reaches). But I want to figure out what our real EFC is. According to an AO at an info session the EFC is indeed cut in half if you have two in college at the same time. D and S18 will overlap three years (four if she does co-op). I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but wow would that be a nice financial break!
@Mom2aphysicsgeek, I guess you could take a look at last year’s Auburn admit thread and see if other high stat students were also rejected. If so, it might take away some of the sting for your D’s friend. Also, I forgot to say congrats to your D on the international Russian Olympiad: Go Team USA!
@Agentninetynine, I’m so sorry you and Spykid are going through this difficult time. Sending hugs.
@hadmeathello, yep, agree with @STEM2017 on R-H. 100% of students get merit, but it’s an average of $11,000 which doesn’t put much of a dent in the $60,000 COA. Pro’s: free app, no extra essays, and I’ve seen around here and there that they desperately want women (77%/23% ratio is appalling even for a tech school). Eh, if they shower her with money we’ll take a look.
@IABooks @hadmeathello I don’t feel this confirming step makes any sense. If CB’s claim is accurate that their tests are designed to be reliable (to explain a students level ) regardless of which date a student takes a test. Then, the original NM cutoff PSAT should have already proved that the NMSF is worthy… Seems like purely another way to milk money from people…
@snoozn Helpful. Thanks, I was unaware of the $11k.
@Mom2aphysicsgeek That is truly terrifying!! It might be the counselor recommendation or LORs from teachers that had something to do with the rejection. That would be problematic through the entire process and she’s probably stressing over it. Her parent should contact the GC. I can understand the student not wanting to. I was surprised she would call admissions and not go to her GC who would have called. I wonder if it’s not a good relationship between them? A college is not going to tell a student why they didn’t admit them, at least I’ve never heard of one doing so.
@mtrosemom SAT selection index needs to be above 209. Calculate selection index same as they calculated it for the PSAT. They do not know what the confirming selection index will be but said it will not be below 209 since that was the lowest selection index to become NMSF.
@Agentninetynine – I am so sorry to hear your news. Condolences to you and your family at this difficult time.
@nw2this, I believe that the 2.5K awards do go to those with the highest SAT scores sent in to confirm. It may behoove you to spend the $12 and send the new SAT in, especially if the college(s) your D is looking at do not participate in the NM program. They can only get one award, and frankly it seems that most college awards are more generous over the 4 years than the one time $2,500.
Is it too late? Did it need to go in with the application? D will not likely attend a NM school.
Sent email to GC at 6AM mentioning the looming deadline and a past one! where LOR is optional but recommended.
GC submitted LOR at 11:30AM! :D/
She must have felt the rubber chicken beating on her.
I don’t expect much in her letter as she is new and part time but it needed to be done! #-o
I’m at a dentist’s office with DH as he has to be dragged down here. Overheard “Fortunately it’s only a root canal!” What fun!
@nw2this, it is not too late. Confirming scores need to be submitted by ~December, so you have time.
@paveyourpath Did you get some recent confirmation that the confirming SI would not be below 209? NMC told me and others a few weeks ago that it would not be above 209. I think we’re saying the same thing, but if you have recent updates, I’d love to hear them!
@whataboutcollege Nothing about the CB/NMC fiasco makes any sense, in my opinion. It has been one huge guessing game that has dragged on way too long and involved way too much money. With the payoff at the end, though, we couldn’t afford to avoid it. Better to play the game and reap the reward, for us, than to just walk away. Although if it’s the SAT score that prevents S from becoming a finalist, I will be a complete wreck after jumping through every hoop and paying every dollar!
@iabooks Someone posted somewhere that you can call NMSC and ask them if the score qualifies.
Re: Dd’s friend. Originally, she was reluctant to bring it up bc her friend was so upset. But, I told her that many of you pointed out that if there is an error it might be in all of her applications. She is going to mention talking to her GC and making sure that Auburn received all of her information correctly. She moved during high school, so now I am wondering if there might be an issue with multiple transcripts.
Thanks for all of the comments bc you got Dd willing to step in where she was afraid to tread!
@RightCoaster My son was taking an online class they always let you make up 1/3 the points on a test which was a great learning experiences and by the time he took the stats AP exam he got a 5
And ACT scores** and CSS profile has been sent for all the schools on my D’s short list. She also submitted one more (parent pick) school through the CA this morning…free and no extra writing. So that totals 6 apps completed!
**after I sent the ACT scores I saw that Rhodes accepts ACT scores on the HS transcript as well…so that was a waste of $24.00 
QUESTION: for those who have completed the CSS Profile…do you know the process for how/when/where to send the supporting docs the schools require? It looks like some want copies of tax returns, W-2s, etc sent.
I get on a plane for a couple of hours and there are over 100 new posts! Trying not to get fried chicken and waffles all over the keyboard.
@Agentninetynine I am sorry you are going through such a terrible time! Try to find time to time for some self-care.
@Mom2aphysicsgeek Your daughter’s friend’s rejection makes no sense. If she doesn’t want to contact the GC, the parents should. There must be some sort of error in her application.
Ok, my son’s grade crisis may have been averted. He had his final Precalc test today and thinks he might have scored an A. That would help. Keeping fingers crossed. Semester ends next week, and so far most grades look good. He has an A and A- in 2 AP classes and the rest are all decent scores, so his semester report card should look decent aside from Precalc. He’s in good spirits today, he’s enjoying school this fall and is looking forward to getting some news regarding his college applications. We have to send his 1st semester report into a few EA schools next week.
Congrats to the kids with NMSF and Sat results coming back! Awesome.
Vibes to you struggling with Fafsa/CCS info. I would hate to have to deal with that. I would have to let my wife do it
@Mom2aphysicsgeek that’s a cruddy story regarding your D’s friend. Something smells fishy about that. No reason for a school like Auburn to reject a worthy candidate without a reason.
@Agentninetynine bummer about all of your bad news, sorry to hear that. Glad you came back and checked in.