How many National Merit finalists are there?

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 finalist?

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.

Do all National Merit Semifinalists become finalists?

About 95% (over 15,000) of the Semifinalists are expected to become Finalists and receive a Certificate of Merit attesting to their distinguished performance in the competition.

How many National Merit Semifinalists are there in 2024?

NMSC is excited to announce the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 2024 National Merit® Scholarship Program.

Do all National Merit finalists get money?

There are 3 different kinds of National Merit Scholarship awards you can win, all tend to be relatively small monetarily, and only about 50% of finalists even win one: Directly from the sponsors of National Merit: $2,500 one time payment that is awarded by state.

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

Is National Merit finalist a big deal?

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.

Is National Merit finalist worth it?

One of the most significant non-financial benefits of being a National Merit Scholar is the recognition and prestige that comes with it. This prestigious award is highly regarded by colleges, universities, employers, and even members of society.

How hard is it to become a National Merit finalist?

Of course, the most important thing is to ace the PSAT/NMSQT as a junior. In order to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship, most students need a PSAT score within the top 1% of their state. That means the score cutoff will change depending on where you reside, and how well others in your state did on the PSAT.

What is the difference between National Merit finalist and semifinalist?

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.

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.

How do I know if I am a National Merit finalist?

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.

What are the benefits of being a National Merit finalist?

In the National Merit^® Scholarship Program, three types of Merit Scholarship^® awards are offered to Finalists: National Merit $2500 Scholarships, corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards, and college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards.

What SAT score do you need for National Merit finalist?

Based on previous years' data and cutoffs set by NMSC, it's estimated that students need to have a Selection Index of at least 212 to be considered for a National Merit Scholarship. This roughly translates to a combined score of 1420 on the SAT.

What percent of kids get National Merit?

At the end of the competition, a select group of Finalists are chosen to receive $2500 National Merit Scholarships. Scholarship winners represent less than 1% of the initial pool of student entrants.

How do I know if I am a National Merit Semifinalist?

National Merit Semifinalist Qualifying Scores

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.

Is National Merit top 1 percent?

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.

Should you put National Merit finalist on resume?

If you're a freshman or sophomore who received a prestigious award or accolade in high school, such as being a national merit scholar, you can still put those awards on your resume (however, Walker advises against listing SAT scores, even if they were high).

Does National Merit finalist look good for college?

It's no wonder why many colleges are excited to welcome National Merit Finalists to their campuses—they're among the most sought-after students in the nation, having scored highly on standardized tests and having demonstrated academic excellence during their high school years.

How many National Merit Scholars are there a year?

In each annual National Merit Scholarship Program, about 50,000 academically talented high school students are honored, but only some 16,000 of them are named Semifinalists.

What is the lowest score for National Merit?

The Selection Index ranges from 48-228 and is equal to the sum of your test scores for Math, Reading, and Writing and Language. For the 2022 scholarship cycle, 207 represented the national qualifying score cutoff.

Do you have to write an essay for National Merit finalist?

There are a few more steps you will need to go through to become a Finalist. First, National Merit Scholarship Corporation will contact you if you make it that far. In order to become a Finalist, you must then: complete the National Merit Scholarship Application, which includes writing an essay.

Do Ivy Leagues 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.

Does Harvard accept National Merit Scholarship?

However, Harvard does not have any national merit scholarships so I'm not sure what I would have to gain by indicating Harvard. Out of the colleges I am applying to that offer national merit scholarships, the University of Southern California offers the most at half tuition.

Do colleges care about National Merit Semifinalist?

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.

What schools have the most National Merit finalists?