How do I know if I am a National Merit Commended Scholar?

Students whose scores qualify them for recognition in the National Merit Program will be notified through their high schools in September following the test administration.

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).

How are National Merit Commended Scholars notified?

34,000 Commended Students.

In late September 2024, more than two-thirds of the 50,000 high scorers will be notified that they have qualified as Commended Students. NMSC will notify them through their schools and provide Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise.

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).

Do colleges care about National Merit Commended?

Some colleges offer scholarships and perks for Commended Students, semifinalists, finalists, and Merit Scholars. In turn, schools get bragging rights for enrolling an impressive percentage of Merit Scholars.

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

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.

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.

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 is a National Merit Commended student status?

Commended Students

The quali- fying score for this level of recognition varies from year to year. All National Merit Program participants who score at or above the Commended level but below their selection unit's Semifinalist qualifying score are designated Commended Students.

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.

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.

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 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.

What PSAT score do you need for commended student?

To become a Commended Student, you must achieve a minimum score set by NMSC on your PSAT/NMSQT. This score varies from year to year but typically falls between 200-220 out of 240 total points.

What is the average IQ of a National Merit Scholar?

Assuming the lower bound is 131, the median National Merit Scholar (a student at the 50th percentile of the group) will have an IQ of 135. However, the PSAT is correlated to the SAT at only about a 0.87 level, and probably does a worse job discriminating between high IQ individuals since it is easier.

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 National Merit Commended prestigious?

Reaching the status of National Merit Commended Scholar or Semifinalist is a strong indicator of your academic excellence to include in your application and may enable you to apply for Special Scholarships. The best way to get yourself in the running for the National Merit Scholarship is to prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT.

Do Ivy Leagues care about National Merit?

Universities have the option to sponsor a National Merit Scholarship in an effort to net freshmen who have earned this impressive distinction. However, many highly-selective schools like those in the Ivy League or Ivy-equivalent colleges choose not to participate in this merit-based scholarship program.

Should I put NHS in honors or activities?

If you have an activity classified as academic, put NHS under community service or other club/activity. If you have an activity classified as other club/activity, put NHS under academic or community service. That way it shows that you have more of a variety of activities.

Is National Merit Commended a state or national award?

The following information is from the Common Application Knowledgebase (but applies to University of California and other applications as well): National Merit Commended Scholar and National Merit Semifinalist recognition are both appropriately designated as State/Regional honors.

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 is a National Merit Commended Scholar 2023?

Students who achieve top scores may receive recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. NMSC compares your PSAT scores with those of other students in your state using its own Selection Index, which falls on a scale between 48 and 228. The top 3-4% of scorers are named Commended Scholar.

What is Commended Scholar Award?

Commended Scholars are those that have a high score, but their results are lower than the selection index in their state. This year, the cutoff for Commended Scholars is 214.