How are National Merit Commended Scholars chosen?

High scorers on the PSAT/NMSQT may find themselves named Commended Students by the NMSC in September of their senior year. Generally, the top 2%-3% of PSAT scorers receive commended student status, or about 34,000 students.

Do colleges care about National Merit Commended?

Your SAT and ACT scores are far more important to colleges; your National Merit status does not add much new information. However, having a high number of enrolled Semifinalists is seen as a badge of honor at some colleges and will factor in their admission decisions.

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.

What score do you need to be a commended National Merit Scholar?

The number of top scorers is the most critical piece of information that we get this early in the process. There is a strong correlation between the 1400-1520 band of students and the Commended Student score. The Commended Student cutoff is likely to rise to 209 (above the 207 from the last 3 years).

How are National Merit Commended students chosen?

The NMSC uses its own Selection Index to determine which students qualify as Commended Students and Semifinalists. 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.

National Merit Scholarship Program: What Is It and How It Works?

What percent of people get National Merit Commended?

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 percent of students get National Merit Commended?

At this stage you might be named either a Commended Student or a Semifinalist. Both are impressive markers that are worth putting in your college application. Less than 5% of test takers receive any commendation from the National Merit program.

Is National Merit Commended Scholar impressive?

Congratulations on becoming a National Merit Commended Scholar! It's an amazing accomplishment that reflects your hard work and academic abilities. You should definitely include it in the honors and awards section of your college applications, as admissions officers will recognize the value of this achievement.

What does it mean to be a commended National Merit Scholar?

Commended Students:

This letter means they are not eligible to move on in the competition, but it still looks good to college admissions offices and may qualify them for special scholarships.

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.

Is being commended for National Merit good?

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.

Is National Merit Commended an honor?

In mid-September, nmsc sends principals a list of their school's Commended Students with Letters of Commendation for presentation to the students. Although Commended Students are honored for their academic promise, they do not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarship awards.

Does a 1400 PSAT qualify for National Merit?

3. Does a 1400 PSAT Qualify for National Merit? Based on the scores of real grade 11 students who took the PSAT, a score of 1400 puts you in the 97th percentile. You may not qualify for the National Merit Scholarship with this score: it also depends on the cut-off scores of your state.

Should I put National Merit Commended Scholar on resume?

You should list academic honors on your resume as long as they are relevant to the position you are applying for or demonstrate a significant achievement. Generally, if you have received academic honors in the past five to seven years, they can still be included on your resume.

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.

Should I include Nmsqt commended in common app honors?

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.

What percent of PSAT takers are commended Scholars?

This means that while they did not qualify to move on to the next round of selection, their PSAT scores are still among the top 50,000 out of over 1.5 million participants. To put it simply, being a Commended Student means that you are among the top 3% of PSAT takers nationwide.

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.

Do Ivies care about National Merit?

Ivy League schools don't award any merit scholarships, which includes National Merit Scholarships. These schools have the highest achieving students applying to their institutions and would rather award need-based financial aid to assist the most students in a fair and equitable manner.

Is a 1400 PSAT bad?

If you score between a 1400 and a 1450 you should also be proud. This means you are still in a highly competitive percentile and eligible for entry to highly selective universities. Any score from 1300-1400 leaves some room for improvement, but is nonetheless optimistic!

Is 1470 PSAT enough for National Merit?

To be competitive for National Merit Semifinalist status, students need to score about 1400 on the PSAT in less competitive states like Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota . . . or about 1470 on the PSAT in more competitive states like Connecticut or New Jersey.

Is 1420 PSAT good enough for National Merit?

To begin with, the PSAT score range is from 320 to 1520.

The average PSAT score is around 920 (460 in Math and 460 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing), while an outstanding PSAT score (one that will qualify you as a National Merit Scholarship semi-finalist) is between 1420 and 1480.

What is the National Merit Commended Cutoff 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).

What percentile is commended on PSAT?

Each year, the top 3-4% of test takers become Commended Students, and the top 1% proceed as Semifinalists. This works out to around 16,000 Semifinalists, of whom 15,000 will move on and become Finalists.

What is a 1490 PSAT National Merit?

If you're in 11th grade, anything between a 1490 and 1520 places you in the top 1%. About 1.5 million students in each grade take the PSAT each year, so the 99th percentile puts you among the top 15,000 test takers.