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National Merit Scholarship Program
High school juniors may qualify for National Merit Scholarships by receiving
a high score on the PSAT taken in October of the junior year.
Juniors need a high selectivity index score in the 99 percentile range. Not
all students in the 99 percentile range will be National Merit Semifinalists.
Each state has a different cut off for the selection of National Merit
Semifinalists.
The score is obtained from the total of three sections on the PSAT: the
critical reading, math and writing scores. The highest score would be 240
(80+80+80=240) since each section of the PSAT ranges from 20 to 80
points.
If a student receives a high PSAT score as a sophomore, the student will
not be considered for a National Merit Scholarship. The PSAT must be
taken in the junior year in order to be considered for National Merit status.
Not all colleges provide National Merit scholarships. However, it is a great
honor to be a National Merit Semifinalist and to compete for National Merit
Scholarships. Colleges are very interested in students who are National
Merit Semifinalists.
Student who are National Merit Semifinalists have an opportunity to
compete for National Merit Scholarships. The student must take a SAT test
and send a letter of recommendation from their counselor. This information
will be mailed to the student.
National Merit Scholarships can come from the colleges or from corporate
sponsors. The Ivies, Stanford and other highly selective colleges do not
participate in the program.
See the Official Student Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT for a list of college merit
scholarship sponsors. This booklet is available from you high school or at
the NMSC website at: www.nationalmerit.org
PSAT results are mailed to the high school in December.
Students will be notified if they receive National Merit status in
September of their senior year. It takes a long time to compile the
information for each state. Some students who receive a score close to the
cutoff will receive commended status. If the commended numbers range
from 200 to 217, a student who has a score of 218 to 240 would be a
national merit semifinalist. Each high school principal will receive
notification of National Merit Semi-Finalists and Commended students in
September. Current juniors need to look at last year's scores for their state
cutoff scores.
Qualifying scores for the Class of 2009 National Merit Semifinalists:
Alabama 209
Alaska 212
Arizona 209
Arkansas 204
California 217
Colorado 213
Connecticut 218
Delaware 219
District of Columbia 221
Florida 211
Georgia 215
Hawaii 216
Idaho 208
Illinois 214
Indiana 213
Iowa 210
Kansas 211
Kentucky 209
Louisiana 208
Maine 212
Maryland 220
Massachusetts 221
Michigan 209
Minnesota 214
Mississippi 201
Missouri 213
Montana 208
Nebraska 206
Nevada 206
New Hampshire 211
New Jersey 220
New Mexico 209
New York 216
North Carolina 215
North Dakota 201
Ohio 213
Oklahoma 208
Oregon 213
Pennsylvania 213
Rhode Island 213
South Carolina 212
South Dakota 205
Tennessee 213
Texas 215
Utah 203
Vermont 213
Virginia 219
Washington 217
West Virginia 203
Wisconsin 210
Wyoming 201
International 221
U.S. Territories 201
Qualifying Scores for the Class of 2008 National Merit Semifinalists:
Alabama 209
Alaska 213
Arizona 211
Arkansas 201
California 218
Colorado 213
Connecticut 217
Delaware 219
District of Columbia 223
Florida 212
Georgia 214
Hawaii 213
Idaho 204
Illinois 213
Indiana 213
Iowa 209
Kansas 212
Kentucky 208
Louisiana 206
Maine 211
Maryland 221
Massachusetts 223
Michigan 209
Minnesota 213
Mississippi 202
Missouri 211
Montana 207
Nebraska 207
Nevada 208
New Hampshire 215
New Jersey 221
New Mexico 208
New York 219
North Carolina 214
North Dakota 202
Ohio 211
Oklahoma 207
Oregon 213
Pennsylvania 214
Rhode Island 212
South Carolina 210
South Dakota 203
Tennessee 213
Texas 215
Utah 202
Vermont 216
Virginia 217
Washington 215
West Virginia 200
Wisconsin 208
Wyoming 200
National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP)
This program provides recognition for outstanding Hispanic/Latino high
school students. You must be at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino, meet
the minimum PSAT/NMSQT cutoff score for your state which varies each
year, and achieve a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Scholar Finalists
had a GPA of 3.5 or higher and Honorable Mention Finalists had a GPA of
3.0 to 3.49.
Each year, the NHRP identifies nearly 5,000 students from the United
States and U.S. Territories who take the PSAT/NMSQT and designate
themselves as Hispanic/Latino. The NHRP does not provide a financial
reward. Being named is an important academic recognition and the
colleges participating in the program will receive this information.
If you failed to identify yourself as Hispanic/Latino when you took the PSAT,
you can ask your high school counselor to request a nomination form from
College Board.
For more information, send an email to: nhrp@collegeboard.org or call:
800-626-9795, extension 5849.
National Achievement Scholarship Program
This program provides recognition for outstanding Black American high
school students. Black students may enter the National Merit Program and
the National Achievement Scholarship Program by taking the PSAT/National
Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in October. Information on entry
requirements and program recognition is available at:
http://www.nationalmerit.org/prn_nasp.php
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. What do I do if I cannot take the PSAT on the date my school offers it?
A. Contact your high school counselor. You may be able to take the PSAT at
another school on a different date.
If you plan to study in another country when the test is given, you need to
contact the PSAT Office at: PSAT/NMSQT, PO Box 6720, Princeton, NJ
08541-6720 or email: psat@info.collegeboard.org or call: 609-771-7070 or
FAX: 609-530-0482.
Q. Are there any special opportunities for African American or Black
Juniors?
A. A free college advisory and referral service is available for student who
plan to attend a two-year or four-year college. You need to indicate you are
African American or Black.
For more information:
National Scholarship Service
230 Peachtree Street, Suite 530
Atlanta, CA 30303
404-522-7260
Q. Are there any special opportunities for Hispanic or Latino Juniors?
A. The National Hispanic Recognition Program provides information to
colleges for academically talented students. You need to indicate that you
are Hispanic or Latino.
For more information:
The College Board National Hispanic Recognition Programs
11911 Freedom Drive, Suite 300
Reston, VA 20190-5602
800-626-9795
Q. Are there any special opportunities for Juniors with talent in the
humanities and social sciences?
A. Telluride Association offers scholarships for summer seminars to highly
gifted juniors.
For more information:
Telluride Association
217 West Avenue
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-273-5011
Q. How do I contact the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to make a
change in my school choice? (For Finalists)
A. Go to: www.nationalmerit.org and select FAQ. You can print the form to
change your college choice and sign and FAX the form back.
National Merit Scholarship Corporation
1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 200
Evanston, Illinois 60201-4897
847-866-5100
www.nationalmerit.org
High school juniors may qualify for National Merit Scholarships by receiving
a high score on the PSAT taken in October of the junior year.
Juniors need a high selectivity index score in the 99 percentile range. Not
all students in the 99 percentile range will be National Merit Semifinalists.
Each state has a different cut off for the selection of National Merit
Semifinalists.
The score is obtained from the total of three sections on the PSAT: the
critical reading, math and writing scores. The highest score would be 240
(80+80+80=240) since each section of the PSAT ranges from 20 to 80
points.
If a student receives a high PSAT score as a sophomore, the student will
not be considered for a National Merit Scholarship. The PSAT must be
taken in the junior year in order to be considered for National Merit status.
Not all colleges provide National Merit scholarships. However, it is a great
honor to be a National Merit Semifinalist and to compete for National Merit
Scholarships. Colleges are very interested in students who are National
Merit Semifinalists.
Student who are National Merit Semifinalists have an opportunity to
compete for National Merit Scholarships. The student must take a SAT test
and send a letter of recommendation from their counselor. This information
will be mailed to the student.
National Merit Scholarships can come from the colleges or from corporate
sponsors. The Ivies, Stanford and other highly selective colleges do not
participate in the program.
See the Official Student Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT for a list of college merit
scholarship sponsors. This booklet is available from you high school or at
the NMSC website at: www.nationalmerit.org
PSAT results are mailed to the high school in December.
Students will be notified if they receive National Merit status in
September of their senior year. It takes a long time to compile the
information for each state. Some students who receive a score close to the
cutoff will receive commended status. If the commended numbers range
from 200 to 217, a student who has a score of 218 to 240 would be a
national merit semifinalist. Each high school principal will receive
notification of National Merit Semi-Finalists and Commended students in
September. Current juniors need to look at last year's scores for their state
cutoff scores.
Qualifying scores for the Class of 2009 National Merit Semifinalists:
Alabama 209
Alaska 212
Arizona 209
Arkansas 204
California 217
Colorado 213
Connecticut 218
Delaware 219
District of Columbia 221
Florida 211
Georgia 215
Hawaii 216
Idaho 208
Illinois 214
Indiana 213
Iowa 210
Kansas 211
Kentucky 209
Louisiana 208
Maine 212
Maryland 220
Massachusetts 221
Michigan 209
Minnesota 214
Mississippi 201
Missouri 213
Montana 208
Nebraska 206
Nevada 206
New Hampshire 211
New Jersey 220
New Mexico 209
New York 216
North Carolina 215
North Dakota 201
Ohio 213
Oklahoma 208
Oregon 213
Pennsylvania 213
Rhode Island 213
South Carolina 212
South Dakota 205
Tennessee 213
Texas 215
Utah 203
Vermont 213
Virginia 219
Washington 217
West Virginia 203
Wisconsin 210
Wyoming 201
International 221
U.S. Territories 201
Qualifying Scores for the Class of 2008 National Merit Semifinalists:
Alabama 209
Alaska 213
Arizona 211
Arkansas 201
California 218
Colorado 213
Connecticut 217
Delaware 219
District of Columbia 223
Florida 212
Georgia 214
Hawaii 213
Idaho 204
Illinois 213
Indiana 213
Iowa 209
Kansas 212
Kentucky 208
Louisiana 206
Maine 211
Maryland 221
Massachusetts 223
Michigan 209
Minnesota 213
Mississippi 202
Missouri 211
Montana 207
Nebraska 207
Nevada 208
New Hampshire 215
New Jersey 221
New Mexico 208
New York 219
North Carolina 214
North Dakota 202
Ohio 211
Oklahoma 207
Oregon 213
Pennsylvania 214
Rhode Island 212
South Carolina 210
South Dakota 203
Tennessee 213
Texas 215
Utah 202
Vermont 216
Virginia 217
Washington 215
West Virginia 200
Wisconsin 208
Wyoming 200
National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP)
This program provides recognition for outstanding Hispanic/Latino high
school students. You must be at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino, meet
the minimum PSAT/NMSQT cutoff score for your state which varies each
year, and achieve a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Scholar Finalists
had a GPA of 3.5 or higher and Honorable Mention Finalists had a GPA of
3.0 to 3.49.
Each year, the NHRP identifies nearly 5,000 students from the United
States and U.S. Territories who take the PSAT/NMSQT and designate
themselves as Hispanic/Latino. The NHRP does not provide a financial
reward. Being named is an important academic recognition and the
colleges participating in the program will receive this information.
If you failed to identify yourself as Hispanic/Latino when you took the PSAT,
you can ask your high school counselor to request a nomination form from
College Board.
For more information, send an email to: nhrp@collegeboard.org or call:
800-626-9795, extension 5849.
National Achievement Scholarship Program
This program provides recognition for outstanding Black American high
school students. Black students may enter the National Merit Program and
the National Achievement Scholarship Program by taking the PSAT/National
Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in October. Information on entry
requirements and program recognition is available at:
http://www.nationalmerit.org/prn_nasp.php
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. What do I do if I cannot take the PSAT on the date my school offers it?
A. Contact your high school counselor. You may be able to take the PSAT at
another school on a different date.
If you plan to study in another country when the test is given, you need to
contact the PSAT Office at: PSAT/NMSQT, PO Box 6720, Princeton, NJ
08541-6720 or email: psat@info.collegeboard.org or call: 609-771-7070 or
FAX: 609-530-0482.
Q. Are there any special opportunities for African American or Black
Juniors?
A. A free college advisory and referral service is available for student who
plan to attend a two-year or four-year college. You need to indicate you are
African American or Black.
For more information:
National Scholarship Service
230 Peachtree Street, Suite 530
Atlanta, CA 30303
404-522-7260
Q. Are there any special opportunities for Hispanic or Latino Juniors?
A. The National Hispanic Recognition Program provides information to
colleges for academically talented students. You need to indicate that you
are Hispanic or Latino.
For more information:
The College Board National Hispanic Recognition Programs
11911 Freedom Drive, Suite 300
Reston, VA 20190-5602
800-626-9795
Q. Are there any special opportunities for Juniors with talent in the
humanities and social sciences?
A. Telluride Association offers scholarships for summer seminars to highly
gifted juniors.
For more information:
Telluride Association
217 West Avenue
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-273-5011
Q. How do I contact the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to make a
change in my school choice? (For Finalists)
A. Go to: www.nationalmerit.org and select FAQ. You can print the form to
change your college choice and sign and FAX the form back.
National Merit Scholarship Corporation
1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 200
Evanston, Illinois 60201-4897
847-866-5100
www.nationalmerit.org
National Merit Scholarships