Are commended students nationally recognized?

Commended Students They will be named on the basis of a nationally applied Selection Index qualifying score that may vary from year to year.

Is a commended student a National Merit Scholar?

Although Commended Students are honored for their academic promise, they do not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarship awards. Some, however, may be can- didates for Special Scholarships offered by corporate sponsors (ex- plained on pages 22–23).

Is being a commended Scholar good?

Commended Scholar: Students who earn this designation have placed in the top 50,000 scorers on the PSAT (out of about 1.5 million test-takers). This recognition doesn't come with any monetary awards; however, it can still strengthen a student's application and show colleges a high level of academic achievement.

What level of recognition is commended Scholar?

National Merit Commended Scholar and National Merit Semifinalist recognition are both appropriately designated as State/Regional honors. National Merit Finalist and National Merit Scholar recognition are both appropriately designated as National honors.

What makes you a nationally recognized scholar?

To be considered students must: Take the PSAT/NMSQT® in October of their junior year. Achieve the minimum requested PSAT/NMSQT scores (qualifying level may vary by state each year). Earn a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher by the middle of their junior year.

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Is National Merit Commended impressive?

Though Commended Scholars do not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, their high scores still demonstrate strong academic abilities, which can be valuable to mention on college applications.

Should I put commended scholar on common app?

NMS Commended usually goes on the Awards/Honors section of the Common App, and it's relatively prestigious. Both.

What does it mean to be a National Merit Commended student?

Commended Students

This is certainly an accomplishment, but it means that these students did not receive high enough qualifying scores to be named a semifinalist this cycle, as usually semifinalists score in the top 1% of PSAT takers.

How many people get commended National Merit Scholar?

In September 2024, more than two-thirds (about 34,000) of the high scorers will be designated Commended Students.

How many people are National Merit Commended Scholars?

Those not making Semifinalist – about 34.000 of the 50.000, and about 3-4% of all PSAT takers – are "Commended", and receive a Letter of Commendation; they do not continue in the competition for Merit Scholarship awards.

What does commended scholar get you?

The remaining 34,000 high scorers will be named Commended Students and will receive Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise, but they will not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships.

What does it mean to be a commended student?

In general, students who score in the top 3-4% are named Commended Scholars, while students who score in the top 1% are deemed Semifinalists. Students are compared on a state-by-state basis. The NMSC's Selection Index ranges from 48 to 228 and is based on PSAT section scores.

How do you know if you are a commended student?

Although you can use the Compass projections to estimate whether you are likely to qualify as a Commended Student or Semifinalist, there is no way of knowing your official status until high schools are notified by NMSC in early September of your senior year (sometimes schools hear by late August).

What percentile is a commended scholar?

The top 3-4% of scorers are named Commended Scholars—an impressive distinction to put on college applications. The top 1%, or about 16,000 students across the country, are named National Merit Semifinalists.

What is the cut off for National Merit Scholarship commended students?

Eligible students who have a Selection Index at or above the cutoffs will be named Semifinalists. Students who miss the Semifinalist cutoff will be named Commended Students if they have Selection Indexes at or above 207. Students in the class of 2025 can jump here for thoughts on next year's results.

How do I list National Merit Commended on common app?

If you have fewer than five awards listed in your Honors section, feel free to include a National Merit designation here. Commended Student and Semifinalist should be listed at the state level, while Finalist and Scholar should be listed at the National level.

Does National Merit Commended look good on college applications?

Although being a National Merit Commended Scholar isn't as significant as being a Semifinalist or Finalist, it's still a great accomplishment to include in the honors or awards section on your college applications.

Is National Merit Commended an honor?

Each year, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) recognizes these students as "commended scholars" for their outstanding academic achievements. Commended scholars receive a Letter of Commendation from the NMSC, which is considered an honor and may be included in college applications.

Should I put National Merit Commended Scholar on UC app?

I'd say, look at the honors section, rank student's awards, and list the best ones. If National Merit Commended makes the cut, absolutely include it. I certainly wouldn't hide it or leave a blank space.

What score do you need to be commended?

To become a Commended Student, one must score at or above the national selection index cut-off. This index varies each year but generally falls around 209-210 out of 240.

How many National Merit finalists are there 2023?

The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program.

What is the commended scholar cut off for 2024?

September 2023: The class of 2024 statewide SI cutoffs have officially been leaked! This year's National Merit Scholarship Selection Index cutoffs range from 207 (Commended, New Mexico, North Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming) to 223 (Washington D.C, New Jersey).

How rare is a National Merit Scholar?

A finalist chances of winning

Of the 1.5 million applicants who submitted a PSAT score, there are only 7,250 National Merit Scholarship winners. This means you have a 0.5% chance of becoming a National Merit Scholar, making this one of the most competitive merit-based scholarships.

How much money do National Merit finalists get?

National Merit^® $2500 Scholarships

All Finalists compete with all other Finalists in their state or other selection unit. Awards provide a one-time payment of $2,500.