How are National Merit finalists notified?

Finalists are notified in early February by mail at their home addresses. A student may also access their Finalist letter through their Online Scholarship Application account.

How do they determine National Merit finalists?

complete the National Merit Scholarship Application, which includes writing an essay. have a record of very high academic performance in all of grades 9 through 12 and in any college course work taken. be fully endorsed for Finalist standing and recommended for a National Merit Scholarship by your high school principal.

How is National Merit announced?

NMSC distributes public announcements about Semifinalists in the fall and scholarship winners in the spring and summer. The public announcements include background information about the competition, a list of students' names, the names and locations of their high schools, and information about scholarship sponsors.

Have National Merit Semifinalists been announced 2023?

NMSC is excited to announce the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 2023 National Merit® Scholarship Program.

Does a 1400 PSAT qualify for National Merit?

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.

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

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.

How do you know if you are a National Merit Semifinalist?

Semifinalists are notified through their schools in early September. Semifinalists who are homeschooled are notified at their home addresses.

How many people become National Merit finalists?

Of the 15,000 Finalists, about 8,000 receive Merit Scholarship awards. All Finalists are considered for one of the 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships.

How rare is National Merit Semifinalist?

Semifinalists. More than 16,000 of the high scorers, representing less than 1% of the nation's high school graduating seniors, will qualify as Semifinalists. Only Semifinalists will have an opportunity to advance in the competition for Merit Scholarship^® awards.

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.

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.

Is National Merit a big deal?

National Merit Semifinalists

Gaining recognition as a National Merit Semifinalist is a prestigious achievement to include on college applications, and many colleges and corporate sponsors offer special scholarships to these students, even if they don't become finalists.

What is the difference between a National Merit semifinalist and finalist?

To compete for National Merit Scholarships, Semifinalists must advance to the Finalist level of the competition by fulfilling several additional requirements. A Semifinalist can become a Finalist and compete for a Merit Scholarship award in only one program year.

How prestigious is National Merit finalist?

Recognition: Being a National Merit Finalist is a significant achievement and can be included on college applications, resumes, and other professional documents. Increased college admissions chances: Many colleges and universities give preferential treatment to National Merit Finalists in the admissions process.

Do all National Merit finalists get money?

Approximately half of the Finalists will be Merit Scholarship^® winners (Merit Scholar^® awardees). Winners are chosen on the basis of their abilities, skills, and accomplishments—without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

How many Nmsqt semifinalists become finalists?

About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

Is it a big deal to be a National Merit semifinalist?

Those who score in the top 1% achieve the distinction of National Merit Semifinalist. Most of these students move on to become National Merit Finalists, with some winning scholarship money for college. Being named a National Merit Semifinalist is a huge achievement along the path to college.

Do colleges care if you are a National Merit Scholar?

While the size of the award isn't as generous as other programs you'll find in your quest to find and win scholarships, it's worth educating yourself on this award for one huge, added benefit: being a National Merit Scholar can provide a powerful boost to your college application.

Is National Merit top 1%?

The top 1%, usually about 16,000 students, are named National Merit Semifinalists. Semifinalists may go on to apply for Finalist status and potentially win scholarship money. As I mentioned above, NMSC uses its own Selection Index along with state percentiles. Let's take a look at how your scores convert to this index.

How hard is it to become a National Merit finalist?

Out of the roughly 1.5 million students taking the exam in 2023, only 50,000 will qualify for National Merit Program recognition. Right off the bat, 34,000 of this high-scoring group will be handed Letters of Commendation, but they will not continue on in the competition for a monetary scholarship.

What schools have the most National Merit finalists?

What is the difference between National Merit Scholar and finalist?

Finalists are named Scholars (what the contest calls the scholarship winners) based on the strength of their applications. National Merit Scholars typically have outstanding applications that demonstrate their academic commitment, extracurricular and community involvement, passion, and drive.

Do colleges care if you're a National Merit Semifinalist?

If the schools you are interested in do not give students money, semi-finalist to finalist is of no difference to you. Some colleges will give scholarship money to semi-finalists. It really depends on the schools you are interested in. Not being named a finalist will not impact your chances of admission at any school.

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.

Does a 1300 PSAT qualify for National Merit?

Based on your PSAT score of 1300 (690 EBRW and 610 Math), it is possible that you may qualify for National Merit consideration next year. However, it's important to note that the qualifying score varies by state and is based on the scores of other students in your state who take the PSAT.