What does being a National Merit finalist mean?

Finalists compete with all other Finalists in their state or selection unit for one of the 2,500 National Merit $2500 Scholarships. Winners are selected by a committee of college admission officers and high school counselors. National Merit^® $2500 Scholarships provide a single payment of $2,500.

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.

What happens if you are a National Merit finalist?

Scholarship Opportunities: National Merit Finalists are eligible for prestigious scholarships, including the National Merit Scholarship Program, corporate-sponsored scholarships, and college-sponsored scholarships. These scholarships can provide substantial financial support for higher education. College Admiss.

Do National Merit finalists get money?

Ultimately, a National Merit finalist has about a 50% chance of being selected as a National Merit scholar. 7,250 finalists will become National Merit Scholars, receiving a National Merit Scholarship amount of $2,500 to help cover the cost of college.

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.

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

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.

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.

Does National Merit finalist look good for college?

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.

What percent of people get National Merit finalist?

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.

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 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.

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 colleges see National Merit?

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

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.

What GPA do you need to be a National Merit finalist?

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.

What colleges have the most National Merit finalists?

How many students 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 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. See Information about the National Merit Scholarship Competition for additional details.

How many National Merit finalists become scholars?

Although all students who become Finalists are outstanding, not all Finalists receive a Merit Scholarship award. Of the 15,000 Finalists in the 2024 program, about half will win an award, and no student will receive more than one scholarship offer from NMSC.

Does Harvard care about National Merit?

In fact, very few of the most competitive colleges and universities sponsor National Merit Scholarships®. That doesn't mean these schools don't have National Merit Scholars®. In 2020, Stanford enrolled 172, Harvard 183, and MIT 159. None of these students received National Merit Scholarships® to attend these schools.

Should you put National Merit Scholar on resume?

Moreover, many colleges offer additional grants or special recognition to National Merit Scholars, such as priority registration or exclusive honors programs. This not only enhances your college experience but also adds value to your resume when applying for internships or jobs in the future.

Is a 1400 PSAT bad?

Any PSAT score in the range of 1450-1500 is also a tremendous achievement, and an early indication that a student is academically prepared to pursue applications to top-ranked universities and colleges in the US. If you score between a 1400 and a 1450 you should also be proud.

Is 1300 a good PSAT score for National Merit?

Juniors who score between 1200–1360 fall within the top 10% of all test-takers. If you are trying to get a National Merit Scholarship you do have to get into the top 1% of test-takers. And remember that the PSAT is scored slightly different than the SAT. While the SAT score range is 400–1600, the PSAT is 320–1520.

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.