April 26th Update (From compassprep blog)

National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) recently sent an announcement to high schools that the Commended Student cutoff was a 207 Selection Index for the class of 2022. This year’s required score was down 2 points from last year and represents the lowest mark in a decade.

I know that my senior will be a semifinalist and so I am not bothering with finding from the school. He took the alternate path to PSAT when he took the SAT administered by his school in April. The NMSQT people confirmed to me that he was indeed registered and that his very high SAT grades translated to a 38,38, 38 (100%) of the PSAT scores. So the cutoffs do not matter for him. I am also happy that the alternate route to PSAT, does not take away any seats from the PSAT test takers and overall more kids can qualify and cutoffs will be hopefully lower.

The Compass Prep blog is tracking the cutoffs as they are leaked. Only has Florida and Tennessee right now.

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone's DC heard from their school that they made the senifinalist cut?

No but I read that the schools are not allowed to tell students until there is an official announcement (press release) in mid-September.

Has anyone's DC heard from their school that they made the senifinalist cut?

The part that doesn’t make sense to me is that almost every school district in MD (all of the big ones that usually have the vast majority of semi finalists) cancelled the PSAT. If they base the cut off on students who actually took the test and don’t include the alternate entry in figuring out the cutoff, won’t the number be very very low? And then there will be a ton of semi finalists through alternate entry?

Anonymous wrote:Also, commended was announced and its 207. This post is full of inaccuracies.

I agree. CompassPrep is much more accurate.

Is this around the time the cutoffs are usually leaked?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How are kids notified if they made the cut?

I think the school finds out first and then there is a press release. But I don’t know if the schools typically tell them before the official announcement goes out.

Thanks, I looked up the timeline on this whole process. Seems as though the finalists are decided in spring of senior year - well after college applications are due or decided. I can see how, like PP noted earlier, it’s a nice recognition but it doesn’t really impact college admissions.

Most NMSF become NMF so I think that is sufficient.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The scores are scaled per jurisdiction. It isn't a national "commended" score.

Commended is the same nationally. NMSF varies by state.

Is the "state" student's school or home? For example, if a kid attends school in DC, but home is in Virginia, is the kid considered DC or VA for NMSF cutoff?

For NMSQT they use the state where your school is located.

For the Presidential Scholars program they use the student's state of residence.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The scores are scaled per jurisdiction. It isn't a national "commended" score.

Commended is the same nationally. NMSF varies by state.

Is the "state" student's school or home? For example, if a kid attends school in DC, but home is in Virginia, is the kid considered DC or VA for NMSF cutoff?

Anonymous wrote:My child was a NMS last year (made it all the way through). Not all it is cracked up to be, as their chosen school doesn't participate (so no scholarship $$), and, it wasn't the golden ticket she thought it would be (didn't get in at 2 target schools, and waitlisted at a reach). 35 on ACT, 3.91 UW, 4.6W, varsity athlete and leadership. Is fine with where she ended up, but thought she would have more choices being a NMS.

last year was not the best year for high performing students.

Some colleges will give a full ride. It is a prestigious recognition. For application purposes, you can certainly write that you are a semifinalist.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How are kids notified if they made the cut?

I think the school finds out first and then there is a press release. But I don’t know if the schools typically tell them before the official announcement goes out.

Thanks, I looked up the timeline on this whole process. Seems as though the finalists are decided in spring of senior year - well after college applications are due or decided. I can see how, like PP noted earlier, it’s a nice recognition but it doesn’t really impact college admissions.

Anonymous wrote:How are kids notified if they made the cut?

I think the school finds out first and then there is a press release. But I don’t know if the schools typically tell them before the official announcement goes out.