How many people receive National Merit Semifinalist?

More than 16,000 of the high scorers, representing less than 1% of the nation's high school graduating seniors, will qualify as Semifinalists.

What percentage of National Merit Semifinalists become finalists?

About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and about half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title. The release is made available here to provide information about the National Merit Scholarship Program.

How many National Merit Semifinalists 2023?

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

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

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.

How many people get the National Merit Scholarship?

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.

5 National Merit Program semifinalists from FMHS

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.

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

At the very least, doing well in the National Merit Scholarship Program can boost your odds in the college application process. Award amounts are the focus of many frequently asked questions about the scholarship program and its benefits, but dollars aren't the only measure of how Merit Scholars benefit.

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.

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.

Do Ivy Leagues care about National Merit?

Some colleges that do NOT sponsor scholarships for National Merit students include Harvard and other Ivy League schools, Middlebury College, MIT, Stanford, and Williams College.

How are National Merit Semifinalists notified?

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 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 are National Merit Semifinalists announced?

Semifinalists are the highest-scoring entrants in each state. NMSC will notify them through their schools and provide scholarship application materials explaining requirements to advance in the competition for National Merit Scholarships.

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.

What is the difference between National Merit finalist and 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.

Does National Merit Scholar look good for college?

Around 34,000 of these students receive Letters of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. While these letters don't include a scholarship check, they look good to admissions offices and can be listed on your college application.

What GPA is National Merit Semifinalist?

The National Merit Corporation is first and foremost looking to award academic achievement. There is no strict cutoff, but a competitive GPA (3.5 and above) and high SAT scores (approximately 1400 and above) are recommended. Your academic record should also show that you challenged yourself with honors and AP classes.

How many National Merit Scholars go to Harvard?

The following schools enrolled massive numbers of Merit Scholar awardees in one recent freshman class: Harvard University: 195. Stanford University: 157. MIT: 147.

What GPA do you need for National Merit?

National Merit Semi-Finalist and Finalist students take their academics seriously. You must maintain a 3.5 or higher GPA to qualify for the application process and maintain that GPA throughout your four years of high school.

Was Bill Gates a National Merit Scholar?

He was a National Merit Scholar when he graduated from Lakeside School in 1973. He scored 1590 out of 1600 on the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT) and enrolled at Harvard College in the autumn of 1973. He chose a pre-law major but took mathematics (including Math 55) and graduate level computer science courses.

What PSAT score is National Merit 2024?

If you're much stronger in math than you are in writing, then you could aim for a perfect 760 on Math and a little lower on Reading and Writing. Overall, you need to get a section score above 715 on both sections of the PSAT to compete for National Merit, with some states requiring even higher section scores.

How hard is it to be a National Merit finalist?

Each year, the top 50,000 PSAT get commendation letters from the National Merit program, and 16,000 of those students qualify as Semifinalists. The cutoff score for Semifinalists varies by state and by year.

Is National Merit worth it?

While the National Merit Scholarship provides significant financial benefits, it can also lead to additional financial advantages. Many colleges offer additional scholarships or grants to National Merit Scholars, and some even cover the full cost of attendance.