Why is being a National Merit Finalist a big deal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a National Merit Scholar and got a full-ride scholarship at my state's flagship school, including room and board. Where I'm from, we didn't do test prep. My parents didn't have college savings for me (we were working class).

So it was a big deal.

What state flagship gives full rides to National Merit Scholars?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if places like Alabama, that give lots to NMFs, care if the student's SAT score is much lower?

-asking for a friend...

There's a strange misconception on this thread that you can become a NMF with a great PSAT score and SAT doesn't matter. That's incorrect. You can become a "Commended" student or Semifinalist based on the PSAT, but you need to score equally well on the SAT to advance to a Finalist or Scholar.

It didn’t use to be that way is prob why there is a misconception. I was a finalist years ago and probably had a 200 point difference on the two exams.

I was a NMF more than 30 years ago and we did have to take the SAT to validate our scores. The high school sent in all the information about our courses and grades and recommendations, but I remember having to fill out the numbers for the National Merit program so that my SAT scores would be sent in so that I could move on from Semi Finalist to Finalist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:agree op

They should do a study and see where National Merit Finalists are at in their career and life 10, 25, 25+ years

I doubt they are at the top 1% of the society because they tested at the top 1%

35 years later, I'm an elementary school teacher!

[Anonymous]

It's not a big deal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:agree op

They should do a study and see where National Merit Finalists are at in their career and life 10, 25, 25+ years

I doubt they are at the top 1% of the society because they tested at the top 1%

35 years later, I'm an elementary school teacher!

People who devote their lives to teaching young children are in the top 1% in my book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a National Merit Scholar and got a full-ride scholarship at my state's flagship school, including room and board. Where I'm from, we didn't do test prep. My parents didn't have college savings for me (we were working class).

So it was a big deal.

What state flagship gives full rides to National Merit Scholars?!

Ohio State did, back in the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a National Merit Scholar and got a full-ride scholarship at my state's flagship school, including room and board. Where I'm from, we didn't do test prep. My parents didn't have college savings for me (we were working class).

So it was a big deal.

What state flagship gives full rides to National Merit Scholars?!

Ohio State did, back in the day.

Check the schools that brag about their NMS yield. Many years ago the best deals were at mostly flagship state schools, UT, UF, OSU etc. Or you can wait for the recruiting to start after your kids score come in. I did get also an offer from U Richmond that covered undergrad and law school, I never would have looked at them as I was in another state. So there were also some interesting smaller schools.

Packages often also include support for advanced research or study abroad. It was a real windfall for my family, Inhad never heard of test prep. The PSAT was presented at my school as a practice test for the SAT. How times change.

[Anonymous]

I think Alabama, Oklahoma & ASU might be close to full rides for NMS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:agree op

They should do a study and see where National Merit Finalists are at in their career and life 10, 25, 25+ years

I doubt they are at the top 1% of the society because they tested at the top 1%

35 years later, I'm an elementary school teacher!

People who devote their lives to teaching young children are in the top 1% in my book.

A shiny silver star for you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mi

Anonymous wrote:I was a National Merit Scholar and got a full-ride scholarship at my state's flagship school, including room and board. Where I'm from, we didn't do test prep. My parents didn't have college savings for me (we were working class).

So it was a big deal.

What state flagship gives full rides to National Merit Scholars?!

Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, and Oklahoma give full rides. Also Arizona State University and Texas A & M. (So not anywhere most DCUM parents would be caught dead in.)

Less than full rides, but still substantial merit aid for NMF include:

Arizona, USC, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, and Vermont

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:agree op

They should do a study and see where National Merit Finalists are at in their career and life 10, 25, 25+ years

I doubt they are at the top 1% of the society because they tested at the top 1%

Eh, I went to a T14 law school and had a very substantial career as a litigator at a national level. I did a number of cases that were widely reported in the national news. I hated it. I made some rich jerks a whole lot of money. I made a good amount of money for myself.

I quit being a lawyer and went to nursing school at a community college. Now I'm an ER nurse at a community hospital in an "urban poor" neighborhood. I love my job. I'm not "top 1% of society" but what I do helps people and makes me happy.

[Anonymous]

Not a big deal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not a big deal

Really?
Do you really think that scoring in the top on 1.5M people is not a big deal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not a big deal

Really?
Do you really think that scoring in the top on 1.5M people is not a big deal?

Not PP, but it is and it isn't. The top 1% of 1.5 million people is 15000 people. That's a lot. It's a very nice honor, but not necessarily something that is going to make you jump out to elite schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not a big deal

Really?
Do you really think that scoring in the top on 1.5M people is not a big deal?

this isn't india or China or Korea

emotional intelligence counts for much more success in the United States