If my child missed NMS semifinalist list by 1 point for our state, should it be mentioned anywhere on college application or not?
Is there any benefit to mention it? Child has relatively strong SAT. Math 790. English 760. With subject tests Math 790. Physics 760.
No.
I wouldn’t. Your kid would get a Commended letter, which I suppose you could put down. You put things down that you achieved, not things that you were close to achieving.
The PSAT is really useful only for chasing money and not for admissions.
Your child either made it or didn’t. “Commended” will be the recognition. The great SAT score is much more important as far as testing is concerned.
You’re underselling. These are great scores, not “relatively strong.” SAT/Subject Test scores are important for admissions;PSAT scores are not.
Consider the following alternative wordings in different scenarios:
“If my child lost the class presidency by 1 vote, should it be mentioned anywhere on college application or not?”
“If my child lost the 400M hurdles state championship by 0.01 seconds, should it be mentioned anywhere on college application or not?”
If the examples were to subtle, the answer is no. Accomplishments can be mentioned, in the case being named Commended. Whining about missing a cut-off will don’t be viewed as a positive.
"
Commended is not a trivial honor
We had the same thing happen to us. We did not mention it. I am not sure where the “commended” letter is now but we did get one.
Our daughter got into every university she applied to without mentioning it. Her grades, SAT score, and LORs told pretty much the same or a stronger story compared to her PSAT result.
It looks to me as if your child’s SAT scores are very strong and will help a lot with admissions to colleges and universities.
Commended is the way to go. No school cares whether the miss was a point or more. A miss is as good as a mile as they say.
Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
If anything, calling out sub-NMS scores would be a negative compared to your child’s SAT scores, IMO.
And “if anything” actually means PSAT scores mean very little in the admissions process.
Definitely no.
Lots of kids miss by 1 point or would have gotten it if they lived in a different state.
no, no and no