<p>Found out my son’s school has four NMSF’s out of about 100 students in the class. That’s a good rate, but I thought it would be higher, considering it’s a magnet school. Most of the kids with reputations for super-brilliance in classes did not get NMSF status, once again drawing a stark contrast between classroom smarts and test-taking smarts. Thank goodness for the National Merit program.</p>
<p>To all those concerned about GPA:</p>
<p>I was a participant in some of the threads last year becasue I was concerned my D’s GPA (3.4) may have been what prevented her from becoming a NMF. To make a long story short, we filed an appeal with the support of GC hoping they would appreciate that her poor GPA was largely impacted by a poor grade in a college course she attempted as a sophomore. They sent a reply that her 2 D’s (nine week grades- she ended up with a C+ for the year) were “not representative of the quality of student that beacomes a National Merit Finalist” (my paraphrase). It appeared that they had no appreciation for the rigor of the course.</p>
<p>I believe there is no GPA threshold just a review of possible poor grades. The rumor last year was that 4 C’s got you excluded but I am not sure that is true. It was recommended that if the poor grade was due to a special situation (illness, event that casued excessive absence, even bad teacher) that you have the guidence counselor reference the situation in the report. My D’s excuse- attempting a harder Statistics course then you were ready for- didn’t pass muster. </p>
<p>But in the end it all worked out for us- except the additional scholarship money that her school gives to all finalists would have been nice!</p>
<p>Congrats to all NMSF’s remember most all of you will be finalists!</p>
<p>Cutoff in CT is 218, same as last year according to my D’s Guidance head. Happy to have a score to report for all those waiting, and happy my daughter made it!! </p>
<p>Also I want to pass along advice that if you haven’t heard from your D or S’s school, and you think their score would make the cutoff, to call the school. My D and I didn’t until just this afternoon - the head of Guidance was terrific, he confirmed her scores were qualifying, and called the NMSF for us. It turned out that there was a score reporting problem with college board to the NMSF people, and so they didn’t have my D’s scores!! I have paid now to have the scores rushed, and the NMSF assured the head of Guidance she will be included as soon as they get the score and that it is not too late to process it, but I sure wish I had called days ago instead of assuming the school was just being slow in releasing the packets!!!</p>
<p>Thanks proudpop. I mentioned to GC that it is possible to appeal and she seemed to think that was strictly if paperwork wasn’t received as opposed to clarifying a weak GPA. In my son’s case he is in a school that places a very high value on class participation and he has had teachers drop him a full letter grade for not participating enough (resulting in a few C+ grades). Do you know if they only look at unweighted GPA? His uw is 3.34 but weighted is over 4.1. I wonder if the gpa is worth addressing somehow in the semifinalist paperwork. It’s hard not to stress when $24,000 is on the line strictly based on making finalist over semifinalist. Time will tell…</p>
<p>Adding CT cutoff</p>
<p>Alabama 208 (posts 328 and 294) (-1)
Alaska
Arizona 210 (post 574) (+1)
Arkansas <=209 (post 460)
California 218 (post 579) (+1)
Colorado
Connecticut =218 (post 783)
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida 210 or 211 (post 657 AND my posts)
Georgia <=214 (366)
Hawaii
Idaho 209 (post 568) (+1)
Illinois <=214 (Post 407) (cutoff is 213 or 214)
Indiana <= 212 (Post 532)
Iowa <=209 (Post 660)
Kansas 211 (post 435) (0)
Kentucky <= 209 (post 309)
Louisiana 207 (post 586) (-1)
Maine
Maryland >220 and <=222 (post 727)
Massachusetts <=221 (post 494)
Michigan <=209 (post 331)
Minnesota >214 and <=227 (post 596, 678)
Mississippi <= 205 (post 607)
Missouri 211 (post 538) (-2)
Montana
Nebraska <= 211 (post 292)
Nevada<=207 (post 674)
New Hampshire
New Jersey <=221 (post 636)
New Mexico
New York >214 and <=219 (post 564, 604)
North Carolina <=225 (post 672)
North Dakota
Ohio <=212 (post 492)
Oklahoma <=209 (post 420)
Oregon
Pennsylvania >211 and <=215 (post 437, 601, 686)
Rhode Island <= 217 (post 592)
South Carolina <=211 (post 480)
South Dakota <=205 (post 320)
Tennessee <= 213 (post 350)
Texas 216 (post 537) (+1)
Utah
Vermont <=213 (post 616)
Virginia
Washington <=218 (post 313)
West Virginia
Wisconsin 207 (-3) (post 655)
Wyoming 201 (post 655)</p>
<p>When is the paperwork due?</p>
<p>Still no scores from VA???</p>
<p>I know! I got a 220 in Virginia and still have not heard anything. However, Jasmaree posted on page 44 something that sounded like she became a semifinalist with a 219 in Virginia. I don’t know if that helps, and it doesn’t make me feel much easier.</p>
<p>Made it in Nevada with a 205. A girl at my school with a 202 didn’t make it. So 202<qualifying<=205</p>
<p>Tquenn,
The schools my kids are interested in do not seem to differentiate between semi and finalist in whom they offer national merit aid to. I imagine some do, but your daughter will have ample opportunity to encourage specific colleges to aid her in choosing them.</p>
<p>If the delta you reported between raw and weighted gpa is correct, it reflects a slew of weighted classes. Colleges will notice. My son’s gpa is a bit of a house joke. He would be valedictorian, and not 15th or so as the school ranks him, had he taken honors classes at the HS rather than in middle school back in the day, or not taken college classes for the past two years – all examples of classes that do not receive extra weighting. ‘Honors’ chemistry and ‘Honors’ Geometry taken in HS bump up the GPA; quantum dynamics and diff Eqs at the Uni do not.</p>
<p>I’m not worried. Karma prevails in the end, as does common sense.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Okay, now I am officially paranoid. My son has a very high PSAT score and about a 3.6 unweighted GPA in a very tough curriculum. But he did get a semester C as a Freshman in a social studies class and a semester D as a Sophomore in some combination computer/community service/special projects class. (He got a B in the same class the following semester.)</p>
<p>Do we have reason to worry that he won’t become a finalist?</p>
<p>I followed the discussion on the GPA topic a couple years ago, when my son with a 3.4 was applying to be a finalist. He made it, but never had a grade less than a B. The only reports of kids who did not make it seemed to be from those with some isolated but really low grades like D’s or F’s or a few C’s. I recall hearing that last year the standards may have been harsher. So Mantori, I hate to say this, but I’d be a tiny bit worried if I were you. I have no idea if great SATs will temper the impact of a D, though; that might be the case for your son. If you want to drive yourself crazy, you can look for last year’s finalist thread that discusses this. I hope it works out.</p>
<p>I wonder when FL will be finalized…</p>
<p>I know students and parents are worried about GPA (or particular grades being OK). At this stage, student should just go ahead and do the best they can with their application. In the students essay, one of the choices is “an obstacle you have overcome” and one could possibly write about a class or grade and how they used that experience in a positive way.</p>
<p>Also talk to the principal or counselor and explain your concern about the grade. There is a specific area for the principal or counselor to make additional comments on grading system, academic record or high school profile. The person filling the application can use this place to make a case for the student or explain a specific situation.</p>
<p>I would not suggest anyone not apply as they are afraid that they don’t qualify. No one really knows what the criteria will be this year. Last year they may have used a standard that is not used this year. This year’s pool may be different.</p>
<p>Beyond that, there is nothing else you can do. I am not sure that anybody else in this forum or any other forum will be able to give assurance or definitive information. There is no point worrying at this stage as it is what it is. Good luck and hope for the best</p>
<p>im in ca, got a 231, but still havent gotten a letter? so im not really sure if it was an accounting error or something…any idea when ppl have been getting letters in the bay area (esp alameda county?)</p>
<p>EricLG,</p>
<p>Part of the reason we care so much is that the scholarship differential at the school he plans to go to is $24,000 ($6000 per yr) if he makes finalist (ASU). I know for many people it ends up not making a significant difference but not in his case. But I appreciate everyone’s comments that he should just put in the best application and hope for the best. I guess they need to cut about 1000 students somehow and it will depend in some part on the pool of students who are semifinalists.</p>
<p>8ccheng, have you tried to talk to the GC? The school should have received the paperwork over a week ago and have passed it on to you so you can start working on it. Your score is clearly high enough so if there is something awry it would be nice to figure it out asap.</p>
<p>I’m in Fremont, Alameda County, and just got my packet from my counselor this afternoon. Sounds like they only got them today.</p>
<p>My daughter knows she is a semifinalist in FL (PSAT 224) and has known since her test results. Her GC has her letter, as it came in last week but plans to talk with her and the other semifinalist at her school next week because he is busy with other college stuff for seniors. The application isn’t due until mid October and her GC has been handling National Merit for 20 years with all but one semifinalist not becoming a finalist. I trust him and know he will guide my daughter and the other student through the process. It is possible that schools that have not given out the letter are concerned that a public announcement might be made by the student or worse the “over-excited parents” and the schools are not allowed to publicly discuss this until September 17th.</p>
<p>ok, thanks, ill see whats going on</p>