National merit cutoff
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| What is it this year? |
Anonymous
|
It is different for each state. For this year's seniors, it was 222 for MD/VA and 223 for DC.
This year's juniors, it will be announced next fall, but should be about the same. |
Anonymous
| Why is VA always lower than MD? |
Anonymous
The cut off for states is based on the score distribution for students within that state. They choose the scores that will lead to approximately the same percentage of students qualifying in each state. So, MD has more high scorers, per capita, than VA. DC students, and US citizens and permanent residents living internationally get assigned whatever the highest score among the states is. |
Anonymous
Appears they are equal this year? |
Anonymous
That almost never happens! |