What is National Merit Commended?

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.

Is National Merit Commended impressive?

Though Commended Scholars do not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, their high scores still demonstrate strong academic abilities, which can be valuable to mention on college applications.

What is the score for National Merit?

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation adds each section test score together, multiplies that sum by 2, and then divides by 10 to create a National Merit Selection Index Score, which will range from 48 to 228. The resulting Selection Index score determines your National Merit eligibility.

What percent of people get National Merit Commended?

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 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.

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

How many people are National Merit Commended Scholars?

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.

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.

How are National Merit Commended students chosen?

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.

Is National Commended Scholar good?

Commended Scholar: Students who earn this designation have placed in the top 50,000 scorers on the PSAT (out of about 1.5 million test-takers). This recognition doesn't come with any monetary awards; however, it can still strengthen a student's application and show colleges a high level of academic achievement.

What score do you need to be commended?

To become a Commended Student, one must score at or above the national selection index cut-off. This index varies each year but generally falls around 209-210 out of 240.

Is 1400 enough for National Merit?

First, a 1400 is an excellent score on the PSAT, so congratulations on that achievement. However, whether it qualifies for National Merit does depend on the state you're in, as whether or not you're named a semifinalist depends on whether your score is within the top 1% of test-takers in your state.

What is commended National Merit Scholar?

In the National Merit Scholarship program, a "commended scholar" is a student who has scored in the top 50,000 out of over 1.5 million students who take the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) each year.

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.

What is the difference between commended and semifinalist?

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. The NMSC's Selection Index ranges from 48 to 228 and is based on PSAT section scores.

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.

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 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.

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.

Do all National Merit finalists get money?

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.

Is National Merit Finalist prestigious?

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.

What level of recognition is National Merit Commended Scholar?

National Merit Commended Scholar and National Merit Semifinalist recognition are both appropriately designated as State/Regional honors.

How hard is it to become a National Merit finalist?

Regardless of the exact cutoff for your state, all of the students who qualify earn high scores—less than the top 1% of high school students advance to become Semifinalists. The College Board includes this on your PSAT score report if you're eligible.

Is National Merit hard?

How hard is it to get the National Merit Scholarship? Earning a National Merit Scholarship is a rigorous academic process that is not guaranteed by any one action. Less than 1% of the approximately 1.5 million high school students who take the PSAT will become a National Merit Scholar.

Does 1300 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.