national merit essay reddit

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, national merit finalist - how to win the scholarship.

PSAT Info and Strategies

Many students take the PSAT in the fall of their junior year. What a lot of students may not notice is the full name of the test is PSAT/NMSQT, or Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Thus, the PSAT is not just good practice for your SATs. It's also the first step in becoming a National Merit Finalist and hopefully, earning a $2,500 scholarship from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

In this article, we'll discuss what steps you need to take to become a National Merit Finalist and compete for a scholarship. We'll also give you advice on how to write a strong application and maximize your chances of becoming a National Merit Scholar.

Here's how the numbers break down:

Each year, about 1.6 million students take the PSAT. Of the juniors who take the exam, about 16,000 earn scores that qualify them as Semifinalists (that's around 1%). This group is narrowed down to 15,000, who become Finalists. Of this group, about 7,500 are awarded scholarships of $2,500 a year (that can be renewed each year you're in college).

This article will explain the three key steps you need to follow to win the National Merit scholarship, from meeting the entry requirements, to scoring well on the PSAT, to submitting a standout application.

Step 1: Meet the Entry Requirements

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) requires you to have a few qualifications to even be considered for the scholarship:

You must be enrolled as a high school student, progressing normally toward graduation.

You must plan to enroll full time in college starting the fall following high school graduation.

You must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. lawful permanent resident planning to become a U.S. citizen.

These requirements will be checked with a few questions at the beginning of the PSAT.

Step 2: Score in the Top 1% of the PSAT

Becoming a National Merit Finalist is competitive and requires a top score on the PSAT. Although it varies from state to state, most students must score above 1400 (out of 1520) to qualify as a Semifinalist, which means they can compete to move on to Finalist standing.

How can you achieve a top 1% score on the PSAT? Prepare with high-quality materials. Identify your weak points and work to improve them. If the Reading section confuses you, spend the majority of your time practicing those sections. If math isn't your thing, commit yourself to drilling PSAT Math problems. The National Merit competition uses a Selection Index that is based on your Reading, Math, and Writing test scores, so mastering all three sections is key.

Take control of your learning and study with practice questions and sample tests. This practice will also pay off later when you take the SATs in the spring of your junior year and fall of senior year.

For more info on prepping for the PSAT, check out our detailed guide to attaining National Merit Semifinalist status.

Step 3: Submit an Excellent Application

Complete the NMSC application requirements by fall of your senior year (usually early October). This application allows 15,000 of the 16,000 Semifinalists to move on to Finalist standing.

If you don't become a Finalist or don't qualify, you may still get word that you're a Commended Student or remain as a Semifinalist, which are great distinctions that will stand out on college applications. However, only Finalists are eligible for National Merit Scholarship awards.

The online NMSC application is the same as your college application in some ways and different in other ways.

Similarities

You must submit the following:

• Your academic record (transcript)
• SAT scores*
• Information about your activities and leadership roles
• A personal essay

*You have to take the SATs on approved dates, usually in the fall of your senior year, and make sure to send along your score report to NMSC. They need to receive your scores by December 31st of your senior year. While there is no strict cutoff for SAT scores, they must be competitive like your PSAT scores (usually around 1400 or above) so they know your PSAT wasn't a fluke.

Differences

• A recommendation from your high school principal or someone the principal designates as a school official
• Information about your school's curricula and grading system

Let's dig into each component to maximize your chance of building a strong application to win the National Merit Scholar title.

Academic Record and SAT Scores

The National Merit Corporation is first and foremost looking to award academic achievement. There is no strict cutoff, but a competitive GPA (3.5 and above) and high SAT scores (approximately 1400 and above) are recommended. Your academic record should also show that you challenged yourself with honors and AP classes. When you're a high school junior, there isn't much you can do about this, other than continue to excel in your classes.

Extracurricular Activities and Community Service

The NMSC is also looking at the skills and accomplishments shown in your application. Demonstrated leadership goes a long way--for example, leading in Student Council or other student organizations.

Your activities should reveal your passions and interests--it is usually better to show "depth over breadth." In other words, get deeply involved in a few activities you're passionate about rather than showing minor participation in every club, team, and organization your school has to offer. Almost all activities are valuable if they show your commitment, leadership potential, and ability to work with and help others.

Recommendations

Recommendations go a long way. Cultivate good relationships with your teachers, counselor , and principal and provide a "brag sheet" for them with the qualities and accomplishments you would like them to include in your recommendation.

Your brag sheet may include the following:

• What six adjectives best describe you?
• What do you consider your greatest accomplishment(s)?
• What are your strongest goals for the next five years?
• What is a meaningful experience you have had during high school?

These anecdotes will make writing a lot easier, and they'll thank you for this.

Make sure to ask for your recommendation at least three weeks in advance of the deadline, and follow up with your writer to make sure it'll be submitted on time. The earlier you notify them, the more ahead you'll be of your classmates, most of whom will need college application letters.

Personal Essay

The personal essay adds your voice to your application materials. Your essay is the place where you can share your unique story and perspective and make your application materials come to life.

Here is an example of a past National Merit essay question:

To help the reviewers get to know you, describe an experience you have had, a person who has influenced you, or an obstacle you have overcome. Explain why this is meaningful to you. Use your own words and limit your response to the space provided.

The space allows for about 500 - 600 words.

You should focus on two important components of the essay. First, the NMSC wants to see that you can express yourself clearly and powerfully through writing . Make sure to proofread, edit, and revise for any spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, or weaknesses in syntax and diction.

Second, your essay reveals how you think about yourself , your accomplishments, and your goals. What do your experiences mean to you? What do they reveal about your identity? Spend some time brainstorming before you decide what aspects of your identity are most important to share with the NMSC readers.

For example, did a group science fair project show you the power of collaboration in making new discoveries? Did a Student Council debate reveal the complexity of perspectives on a single issue? Did Lisa Simpson teach you the importance of sticking to your principles, even if your family may not always agree?

The topics are endless, and there is no best answer, but whatever you choose should reveal something significant about who you are . Once you have your first draft, ask a friend, family member, counselor, or English teacher for feedback on what worked and what didn't. It's a short essay, so make sure every sentence is there for a reason and important for telling your story.

In Conclusion

Staying motivated and committing yourself to all these goals will put you in the best position toward becoming a National Merit Finalist. Remember, only 15,000 students (< 1%) are chosen as Finalists, and of those, only about 7,500 students receive scholarships. On a percentage basis, it's even more competitive than getting into the Ivy League, so even with all your hard work, you'll still need a certain amount of luck!

NSMC notifies students if they have become finalists in February of their senior year. Scholarship notifications go out in March. By that time, most of your college applications will be done and submitted.

Now you just have to try to relax and wait for the decisions to come! If you complete all the steps mentioned above, you can be confident that you've done all you can – now hopefully the National Merit Scholarship Corporation will recognize all your hard work.

What's Next?

Want more tips on how to get a top PSAT score? Check out our guide on how to get a perfect PSAT score for all the info you need to know.

Are you striving for perfection on the SAT? Read our detailed guide by our resident SAT full scorer .

Aiming to get into a top-tier school? Check out our article: What's a good SAT score for the Ivy League?

Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Essay for National Merit

I recently found out that I am a NMSF (a very pleasant surprise indeed!). The application seems very straight-forward, but I have a few questions about the essay portion.

• When it says, “limit your response only to the space provided,” what is the approximate word or character count for that?
• What are they looking for here/what personal qualities should I try to highlight? The prompt is very open-ended, so I’m not really sure what direction to take. Could I potentially use my Common App essay (which describes an experience, but does not focus on it)?
• What role does the essay play in determining who ultimately receives the scholarship?

Thank you in advance for any insight!

According to PrepScholar it is approximately 500-600 words

I wouldn’t worry too much about the essay. DS19 was a National Merit Finalist last year and he just recycled one of his college app essays. No need to reinvent the wheel.

The space fits slightly more than 650 words. The easiest thing is to reuse a prompt that can be used for common app.

When you enter your essay, you will clearly see if it fits or not (anything in the red area won’t be on the application). You can also preview your application at any point to see how everything looks like.

POPULAR STATES

Search sat scores, search act scores, search gpa’s, subscribe to our newsletter.

Stay informed with the latest from the CC community, delivered to you, for free.

CONNECT WITH US

© 2023 College Confidential, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Login or sign up to be automatically entered into our next $10,000 scholarship giveaway

Get Started

• College Search
• College Search Map
• Graduate Programs
• Featured Colleges
• Scholarship Search
• Lists & Rankings
• User Resources

Articles & Advice

• All Categories
• Ask the Experts
• Campus Visits
• Catholic Colleges and Universities
• Christian Colleges and Universities
• College Admission
• College Athletics
• College Diversity
• Counselors and Consultants
• Education and Teaching
• Financial Aid
• Graduate School
• Health and Medicine
• International Students
• Internships and Careers
• Majors and Academics
• Performing and Visual Arts
• Public Colleges and Universities
• Science and Engineering
• Student Life
• Transfer Students
• Why CollegeXpress
• $10,000 Scholarship
• CollegeXpress Store
• Corporate Website
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• CA and EU Privacy Policy

Articles & Advice > Financial Aid > Articles

The National Merit Scholarship: What It Is and How to Win

What is the National Merit Scholarship and how do you qualify for it? Short answer: It depends on your PSAT score. But there's a lot more to it than that!

by Kiarra Louis CollegeXpress Student Writer

Last Updated: Aug 25, 2023

Originally Posted: Jun 3, 2017

What is the National Merit Scholarship and how do you qualify for it? Well, the short answer is it depends on how you score on the PSAT, but there’s more to it than that. Below you’ll find a basic explanation of what this award is all about, plus how you can qualify with your test score. If you’ve already taken the PSAT, chances are you’ve heard about the National Merit Scholarship Program. Of course, that doesn’t mean you know exactly what it is or how to get it. If you haven’t taken the PSAT yet but plan to soon, National Merit is the scholarship to keep in mind. The best part is you’ll be killing two birds with one stone: you get to practice for the SAT and you just might earn a scholarship in the process!

What is the National Merit Scholarship Program?

When it all comes down to it, the National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition where you can potentially get recognition and qualify for scholarships based on your PSAT score. High school students can become eligible for the program by first taking the Preliminary SAT (PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT).

There are three main requirements for entering the National Merit Scholarship Program :

• Take the PSAT/NMSQT when you are in high school grades 9 through 12
• Be enrolled as a high school student (traditional or homeschooled)
• Be a US citizen, lawful permanent resident, or planning to become a citizen as soon as possible

The PSAT/NMSQT has questions specific to the National Merit Scholarship Program, and your responses to these questions help determine whether you qualify. Keep in mind these are just the general entry requirements. Things get more complicated the further you advance…

Related: 6 Quick and Essential Tips to Prepare for the PSAT

National Merit cutoff scores and how to qualify

So, how does the National Merit Scholarship work? Every year, after all PSAT/NMSQT exams have been taken and scored, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) calculates the annual Selection Index Scores. About 50,000 entrants with the highest Selection Index Scores qualify for recognition and the National Merit Scholarship Program; those students are then broken down further into Commended Students or Semifinalists, depending on their PSAT scores. (Their high schools will notify them if they qualify as a Commended Student or Semifinalist.)

Commended Students

Commended Students are notified by late September after taking the PSAT. They’re chosen based on the national Selection Index Score, which varies annually. Commended Students scored lower than the score needed to be a Semifinalist (more on that below). Commended Students don’t get to continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships but they do receive letters of commendation recognizing their academic promise.

Semifinalists

In early September, about one-third (approximately 16,000 students) of the 50,000 high scorers qualify as Semifinalists and are chosen to represent the state they live in. Anything below the following National Merit cutoff scores would result in a student being ineligible to be a Semifinalist. You can find a table of score estimates here —the cutoff score changes each year. 

In February, about 15,000 Semifinalists advanced to Finalist standing. Within the Finalist group, winners are chosen for the Merit Scholarship based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments. About 7,500 finalists will be selected to receive a Merit Scholarship in between the beginning the March and mid-June.

Related:  3 Smart and Easy Strategies to Win More Scholarships

How to win the National Merit Scholarships

Once you get to the Finalist round, high academic standards and requirements must be met. To become a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program, students had to:

• Meet the three conditions above (under “What is the National Merit Scholarship Program?”)
• Get a recommendation from your high school principal or someone designated by the principal
• Have a record of high academic performance throughout high school
• Submit a completed scholarship application

Lastly, Finalists must take the official SAT and earn scores that confirm their performances on the PSAT/NMSQT and have the official report sent to the NMSC. The three main types of National Merit Scholarship awards:

• The National Merit $2,500 scholarships are single-payment scholarships that are awarded by state.
• The Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarship awards can be renewed for four years of undergraduate study or awarded all at once. They are given to children of company employees or members, residents of the company’s community, or those with career plans related to the company. The awards vary in what they’re worth.
• The College-Sponsored Merit Scholarship awards are renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study at the Finalist’s chosen college or university. The sponsoring college or university chooses the winners. The awards also vary in worth.

In addition to these awards, about 1,200 students who participate in the National Merit Program who are considered outstanding but do not qualify as Finalists are awarded “Special Scholarships.” Plus, some colleges and universities may award their own scholarships based on NMSQT scores as they see fit. Simply cracking the top 50,000 may also make your college applications more competitive for admission.

Related:  How to Win Scholarships With Your SAT Scores

Give it your best shot

It’s not easy to win a National Merit Scholarship—but it’s not impossible either. You never know where you’ll stand until your year’s PSAT scores come out. And with some studying, practice, and preparation, you can ace that test. The recognition and chance of winning scholarships makes it worth the challenge!

Didn't take the PSAT? You can find a lot of other merit- and academic-based awards using our Scholarship Search tool .

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Tags: financial aid national merit scholarship psat scholarship search scholarships

Join our community of over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Jada Bohanon

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress has helped me find scholarships for the colleges I applied to. It was very hard for me to find scholarships in the beginning that I was qualified for. My teachers recommended this website to find some, and not only did I find some scholarships but I also got to look into some schools I hadn’t heard of before. I was very happy to have discovered this website, especially with the coronavirus spreading all over as I can’t really go visit many colleges.

Makiyah Murray

The college application process has been a stressful one, but CollegeXpress has eased some of that stress with its readily available college resources. At the beginning of the process, I frequently used the college search feature, and now that I’m almost done applying, I’ve started using the scholarship search. Both of these resources have made it easier to find relevant information.

Anthony Vidal

High School Class of 2023

CollegeXpress has helped me in a series of different ways when it comes to finding scholarships and learning information about different universities. I actually found my dream university through CollegeXpress and am working on getting there.

Nikole Dixon

$500 Refer-a-Friend Scholarship Winner

Toward the beginning of last year, I was searching for scholarships to apply to through my school, town, websites online, and anything else I could find. I asked tons of questions [online] about scholarships and the best places to find them because I was desperate and needed as many as I could find. I came across a ton of bogus websites, but as soon as I found CollegeXpress, I knew I had to tell other people about it. It was definitely the most helpful site I came across, so I told my friends about it. CollegeXpress is definitely a website worth giving as a source.

CollegeXpress showed me that Western New England University was a great match for me both with curriculum and location. CollegeXpress is an excellent resource both future and current college students.

•   Over 55 May Scholarship Opportunities to Apply For
•   How to Minimize the Impact Student Loans Have on Your Future
•   Over 60 April Scholarship Opportunities to Apply For
•   Over 50 March Scholarship Opportunities to Apply For
•   Over 45 February Scholarship Opportunities to Apply For

Colleges You May Be Interested In

Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA

Colorado Christian University

Lakewood, CO

Ohio University

Grace College

Winona Lake, IN

Hillsdale College

Hillsdale, MI

Personalize your experience on CollegeXpress.

With this information, we'll display content relevant to your interests. By subscribing, you agree to receive CollegeXpress emails and to make your information available to colleges, scholarship programs, and other companies that have relevant/related offers.

Already have an account?

Log in to be directly connected to

Not a CollegeXpress user?

Don't want to register.

Provide your information below to connect with

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

22 Full-Ride Scholarships for National Merit Finalists

What’s covered:, how much are national merit scholarships, how many schools offer full rides to national merit scholars, full-tuition scholarships for national merit finalists, how does your psat score impact your college chances.

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.

Some colleges offer National Merit Finalists full-ride scholarships to entice them into attending their institution, and a few will even offer additional financial awards that can be applied to things like research, study abroad, and technology.

National Merit Finalists begin as National Merit Semifinalists—an honor earned by scoring highly on the PSAT/NMSQT. Just 16,000 students out of over 1.5 million test takers are recognized as Semifinalists! Semifinalists are selected by state, with each state having its own cutoff scores (which change annually) that a student must meet to become a semifinalist.

While being named a National Merit Semifinalist is a prestigious honor in its own right, such students are also given the opportunity to advance to the level of National Merit Finalist. Finalists can earn scholarship dollars through a process similar to completing a college application—earning a strong score on the SAT or ACT, getting great grades, receiving a persuasive recommendation, and composing a compelling essay.

At the completion of the process, over 15,000 students are named National Merit Finalists and become eligible to win one of three types of scholarships:

• The National Merit Scholarship: This is a one-time award of $2,500 based largely on a student’s academic record, essays, and written recommendations.
• Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarship Awards: These scholarships vary in multiple aspects, from value to length—some are one-time awards while others are renewable. They’re awarded to students who meet specific criteria, such as being children of the business’s employees, residing in a community where the business operates, or pursuing a particular career path.
• College-Sponsored Merit Scholarship Awards: Colleges and universities offer students renewable awards of varying values, provided that they’ve listed the school as their first choice and that they’ve gained admission.

It’s uncommon for National Merit Colleges to offer full-ride scholarships—it’s almost possible to count the number on your fingers and toes. Full-ride scholarships are the most generous award a student can receive—they cover the total expenses of college, including tuition, housing, meals, fees, and books. They also often include stipends that can be used on anything from covering other living expenses to studying abroad.

Full-ride scholarships are as rare as they are generous—the website Investopedia says that “unless a student is an elite athlete, in the top 1% academically, or has accomplished some other notable feat, the likelihood of getting a full-ride scholarship is slim to none.” Don’t be discouraged, though! One notable feat that can earn a student a full-ride scholarship at select schools is becoming a National Merit Finalist.

Numerous colleges offer full-ride scholarships to National Merit Finalists—a strong incentive to entice top students into applying to their programs.

1. Faulkner University

Freshman applicants who are National Merit Finalists and list Faulkner University as their first-choice school with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation receive funding to cover full tuition, room and board, and mandatory fees. National Merit Semifinalists also receive an award—they’re given free tuition at the University.

2. Florida A&M University

Florida A&M will cover the total cost of attendance—which may include tuition, fees, on-campus room and board, books, supplies, travel, and other miscellaneous expenses—for in-state National Merit Finalists through the Benacquisto Scholarship Program.

3. Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) provides in-state National Merit Finalists with awards that cover up to the full cost of attendance through the Benacquisto Scholarship Program. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and enroll for 12 credit hours per semester to continue receiving the award.

4. Florida International University

National Merit Finalists will find tuition, fees, housing, and a meal plan covered at Florida International University (FIU). They will also receive a stipend for books and, if they demonstrate financial need, a laptop as well.

To qualify for the award, students must choose FIU as their top-choice university with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

5. Liberty University

Liberty University offers to cover the cost of tuition, as well as room and board, for up to four years for National Merit Semifinalists. Students must matriculate into Liberty University’s Honors Program to receive the award. National Merit Semifinalists also receive free tuition at Liberty University.

6. Louisiana Tech University

The National Merit Scholarship at Louisiana Tech University covers the cost of tuition, on-campus housing, and meals for four years for National Merit Finalists who list Louisiana Tech University as their first choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

To continue receiving the award, students must take a full-time course load and maintain a 3.0 GPA.

7. Murray State University

National Merit Finalists at Murray State receive four-year free tuition, on-campus housing, and meal plans. Recipients are required to maintain a 3.2 GPA, enroll full-time, and participate in the University’s Honors College.

8. New College of Florida

The New College of Florida offers to cover the full cost of attendance for National Merit Finalists who are residents of the Sunshine State through the Benacquisto Scholarship Program. To qualify, students must register the New College of Florida as their first choice institution with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

9. Oklahoma Christian University

Oklahoma Christian University (OC) National Merit Scholar Award covers up to 17 credit hours per semester of full tuition, mandatory fees, housing, and a meal plan for up to eight semesters. To qualify, students must list OC as their first-choice university with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and maintain a 3.0 GPA as an OC student.

10. Texas Tech University

The National Merit Finalist Scholarship from Texas Tech provides National Merit Finalists with funding to cover the full cost of attendance for four years of undergraduate study. To remain eligible to receive funding, scholarship recipients are required to enroll in 30 hours per academic year and maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA.

11. University of Alabama

The University of Alabama has an enticing offer for National Merit Finalists—free tuition and housing. The school also provides National Merit Finalists with a supplemental scholarship of $3,500 per year, a one-time $2,000 allowance for summer research or international study, and $500 annually for books.

12. University of Central Florida

Both in-state and out-of-state National Merit Finalists have a good reason to put the University of Central Florida (UCF) at the top of their lists—in-state students have their total cost of attendance covered, while out-of-state students receive a waiver that allows them to pay the in-state tuition rate, and a UCF Merit Scholarship valued at $80,000.

National Merit Finalists also receive an expedited admissions decision, guaranteed admission into UCF’s Burnett Honors College, guaranteed on-campus housing, and a laptop.

13. University of Idaho

National Merit Finalists at the University of Idaho receive an institutional award that covers tuition, fees, and room and board if they enroll at the University for their first semester of undergraduate studies. National Merit Finalists are also directly admitted to the University Honors Program.

14. University of Maine

Maine residents who are National Merit Semifinalists are awarded the UMaine National Merit Award, which provides free tuition, as well as room and board, at the University of Maine for up to 15 credits per semester. Students must maintain full-time status—at least 12 credits per semester—to continue receiving the award.

15. University of Mississippi

National Merit Finalists with a minimum 3.0 GPA are eligible for the Academic Excellence National Merit Semifinalist/Finalist Scholarship at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). The award covers the cost of tuition and housing—it also covers non-resident fees for out-of-state students. The award is renewable for up to four years.

16. University of New Mexico

In-state students who are National Merit Finalists qualify for free tuition, fees, and housing at the University of New Mexico. The award is renewable for four years, provided that recipients maintain a minimum 3.3 GPA and complete 15 credit hours in the fall and spring semesters.

17. University of North Texas

The saying goes “everything is bigger in Texas,” and that’s true for National Merit Finalist awards—at least at the University of North Texas, where scholarship packages include the total cost of attendance. Both residents and non-residents of Texas have the cost of tuition, housing, meals, and books covered, along with a generous stipend.

The total value of the award for Texas residents is $128,000, while the value for non-residents is $177,000!

18. University of South Florida

The University of South Florida (USF) provides National Merit Finalists with a strong incentive to attend the school. Both in-state and out-of-state students receive a scholarship covering 100% of the full cost of attendance along with a $2,000 scholarship for study abroad.

National Merit Finalists at USF also receive a tuition waiver for their first 30 credits of graduate study at the school if they immediately enter a graduate program at the University after earning a baccalaureate degree.

19. University of Texas at Arlington

In-state and out-of-state National Merit Finalists receive exceptional financial support at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), including an award that covers tuition, fees, and on-campus housing. Students also receive stipends for books, supplies, and other educational expenses; research; and study abroad.

20. University of Tulsa

National Merit Finalists who designate the University of Tulsa (TU) as their first choice school with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation are awarded free tuition, fees, room and board, and books at the school. Recipients are also given membership in Leadership TU (led by the University’s President), guaranteed admission into TU’s Honors Program, and a $6,000 annual monetary gift.

The award is renewable for up to five years or until an undergraduate degree is earned. Students must maintain a minimum of 15 hours of coursework per semester to continue receiving the award.

21. University of West Florida

National Merit Finalists who attend the University of West Florida (UWF) their first semester in college are awarded free tuition, fees, housing, and meal plan. Recipients are also given an $800 stipend per semester for books and a one-time stipend of up to $1,500 for research or study abroad.

22. Virginia Commonwealth University

National Merit Finalists are eligible for the Presidential Scholarship at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a four-year award that covers the cost of tuition, fees, and room and board. The total value of the award is approximately $114,356!

While a number of colleges offer full-ride scholarships to National Merit Finalists, numerous others provide National Merit Finalists with free tuition.

1. Harding University

National Merit Finalists who select Harding University as their first-choice school with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation receive free tuition and a $2,000 annual stipend. Recipients must maintain a minimum 3.25 GPA and live in campus housing.

2. Iowa State University

Iowa State University provides in-state National Merit Finalists with free tuition scholarships that are renewable for four years of undergraduate coursework. To receive the award, students must maintain full-time status at the University and a minimum 3.0 GPA.

3. Mississippi State University

Mississippi State University provides National Merit Finalists with free tuition and housing through its National Merit Finalist Scholarship, which is open to both in-state and out-of-state students. The award is worth approximately $40,000 over four years for Mississippi residents and $100,000 over four years for non-residents!

4. New Jersey Institute of Technology

National Merit Finalists are eligible to receive a four-year award covering the cost of tuition at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). The award is renewable for four years, provided that recipients maintain full-time status and a minimum 3.0 GPA.

5. Oklahoma State University

Both in-state and out-of-state National Merit Finalists qualify for a five-year tuition waiver at Oklahoma State University (OSU). The award is valued at up to $70,100 for in-state students and up to $147,700 for out-of-state students!

6. University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma (OU) won’t cover all the expenses of in-state and out-of-state National Merit Finalists; however, it does offer them particularly generous aid packages. OU waives tuition for National Merit Finalists and provides generous stipends to help offset the cost of room and board, books, technology, and fees. The University also awards stipends for study abroad and research.

7. University of Houston

The University of Houston (UH) offers National Merit Finalists a generous scholarship package if they attend the institution—they have the cost of tuition and fees covered. In addition, National Merit Scholars at UH receive a $2,000 stipend for study abroad and a $1,000 stipend for research.

8. University of Texas at Dallas

National Merit Finalists at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) get complete tuition coverage for up to eight semesters. They also receive a stipend of $4,000 per semester to offset the cost of books, supplies, and other expenses; a housing stipend of $1,500 per semester; and a one-time stipend of $6,000 study abroad.

National Merit Finalists at UT Dallas also receive admission into the Collegium V Honors program.

9. University of West Virginia

National Merit Finalists with a minimum high school GPA of 3.5 can receive free tuition at the University of West Virginia along with a one-time $3,500 stipend for study abroad.

PSAT scores aren’t evaluated in the college admissions process; however, a high PSAT score is a strong indicator that an applicant will earn a high score on the SAT, which impacts your chances significantly. Standardized test scores and grades are used to calculate an applicant’s Academic Index —a single numerical score that many highly selective colleges use to screen applicants. If an applicant fails to meet a college’s Academic Index threshold, their application is likely to not receive serious consideration.

As mentioned above, becoming a National Merit Semifinalist is an impressive achievement in itself, since just the top 1% of scorers in a given state receive that recognition. National Merit Semifinalists will want to make sure to include it in the Awards and Honors section of the Common App, as it may improve their odds of college admission.

CollegeVine can help add clarity to your college admission odds. Our free chancing engine uses a variety of factors—ranging from grades to test scores to extracurricular activities—to estimate your odds at hundreds of colleges across the country! Rather than merely predict what college you may or may not get into, this powerful tool can also illuminate strengths and weaknesses in your college profile, giving you a chance to address underwhelming areas and improve your college admission odds.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Jeff Widman

I enjoy hacking/optimizing systems. currently working as a software engineer focused on infrastructure/plumbing. founded/sold two companies., the magical 4.0–national merit finalist essay.

When I was a junior in highschool, I had to write a 500 word essay as part of the process of becoming a National Merit Finalist (remember the PSAT?). This is still o still one of my favorites:

——————————————————————————————–

The Magical 4.0

As I walked to the front of the class and began to read, I found it impossible to think; I could only read each word one at a time. It was the last day of finals, and I was presenting my narrative project to my English class. Only four days earlier, my dreams had been shattered. I had lost my 4.0. Struggling for an “A” throughout the quarter, it had come down to the very last test; I needed to get a 98. When the teacher returned my test, an 89.5 glared in red at the top of the page. Even more painful was the inner questioning that had immediately followed. My narrative project became my analytical tool as I struggled to make sense of my loss. Re-telling the event in the third-person, I shoved my emotions aside and asked the questions I previously had not dared to face.

As the quarter had progressed everything else had faded except this goal of maintaining my 4.0. Every spare moment had been spent studying Chemistry, or revising my World Literature essay. My friends had become strangers. Because I had been consistently going to bed after midnight, my performance in Track had suffered–I no longer had any chance of running in the State meet.

But how could I distill this experience into a narrative? Could I adequately describe the effort that had gone into my 4.0, or how close I had come to getting an A, only to see it pulled just out of my reach on the very last test? Would my audience even care? Would they understand how hard I worked for perfection, how I expected perfection–how I was used to perfection? Would they understand what it meant to lose perfection?

I labored over my narrative to shorten it–every time I started typing it would just grow and grow. The ending was the biggest challenge; it wasn’t until I started typing the last paragraph that I came up with the idea of a happy-ever-after ending, the ending I almost had, where I scored a 99 instead of an 89.5.

Not until after my presentation, as I shared my reflections on the experience, did I reveal to the class that I had really gotten the 89.5. Afterward my English professor would write, “This was one of my favorite moments of last year, Jeff. Maybe best of all was the brilliant move to have the ending different than what actually happened in your life, and then reveal that ‘real’ ending in your comments. The entire room was transfixed by your revelation; I could feel it. You both criticized yourself and elevated yourself by so bravely doing that.”

The contrast between the two endings–the dream and the reality–underscored what my narrative project had made me realize was my only question: Had I overvalued perfection? Even if I had achieved the 99, would my 4.0 have been worth so much sacrifice?

Also read...

Using sqlalchemy to create and manage postgresql materialized views, traversing a tree stored as an adjacency list using a recursive cte built in sqlalchemy, configuring a single nginx + uwsgi server to serve multiple flask apps, best practices for sharing ansible roles across multiple projects, tutorial for tuning mysql / mariadb for a xenforo or wordpress vps, leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

National Merit Semifinalist Cutoffs Class of 2025

April 8 Update:

The Commended cutoff — the minimum score to be considered for National Merit honors — for the class of 2025 is 208. This is the highest cutoff in 4 years. Compass’s analysis of the results from the first digital PSAT showed that the Commended cutoff would fall in the 208 – 210 range, so the 208 is in line with expectations.

Compass has incorporated the Commended cutoff into its projections for the Semifinalist cutoffs, which will begin filtering out around Labor Day.

Why haven’t I been told anything by my school? The April announcement is to schools only and is not an official notification of a student’s status. Honored students are not notified until September.

Why aren’t Semifinalist cutoffs announced at the same time? National Merit must receive student eligibility information from schools and then calculate the separate Semifinalist cutoffs for each state. Only the Commended cutoff is national. NMSC will mail high schools the names of Semifinalists at the end of August, and students will be notified by their schools in early to mid-September. Schools are not given the Commended Student letters until after Semifinalists are announced.

[The November 2023 post below has been updated with the Commended cutoff information.]

The 2023 digital PSAT/NMSQT for the class of 2025 represents the biggest change to the National Merit Scholarship Program since the PSAT was overhauled in 2015. Each year Compass looks at the results from the PSAT and tracks projected Selection Index cutoffs for Commended Students and for Semifinalist in each of the 50 states. [See National Merit Scholarship Program Explained for full details on stages and instructions . For information on the class of 2024 cutoffs, see this archive .]

Instead of having schools administer a paper test on fixed dates, College Board allowed the digital PSAT to be offered throughout October. College Board also introduced a new score return policy. Students taking the test on or before October 14th receive scores on November 6th. Students taking the PSAT after October 14th receive their scores on November 16th. Compass now has the data from both release windows. Approximately 50,000 students landed in the 1400-1520 score band from almost 1.5 million test takers. The initial half of scores already accounted for 30,000 of top band scores, so the later testers had a lower proportion of high scorers. This will come as a relief to students who were fearing an extremely large jump in Selection Index cutoffs.

This year is shaping up similar to the class of 2021 (the last pre-pandemic PSAT) and, reaching back farther, the class of 2017.

The number of top scorers is the most critical piece of information that we get this early in the process. There is a strong correlation between the 1400-1520 band of students and the Commended Student score.

[ We now know the exact Commended cutoff is 208. -Ed. ] The Commended Student cutoff is likely to rise to 209 (above the 207 from the last 3 years). Estimates can be imperfect, but we are confident that the Commended cutoff will fall within the 208 to 210 range. The higher Commended cutoff, in turn, correlates with higher Semifinalist cutoffs. Below are those estimates.

The shift to a shorter, online and adaptive exam is unlikely to wreak the havoc we saw when the “revised PSAT” was introduced 8 years ago. That test overhauled content AND scoring. The digital SAT represents a content change — mainly on Reading and Writing — but keeps the 320-1520 score range intact. The Selection Index, too, remains consistent, with the Reading and Writing score having twice the weight of the Math score.

However, for any given state, a change in cutoff is more likely than not. Historically, Semifinalist cutoffs remain unchanged only about one-third of the time.

Even in years where the Commended cutoff remains static, we see half of state cutoffs go up or down. And it is extremely improbable that the Selection Index will be static. The chart below divides the 50 states into those that saw increases (blue), those that remained unchanged (gray), and those that saw declines (red). We are likely to see a year with far more blue than gray and more gray than red.

Uncertainty around exactly which state cutoffs will change and by how much is why we encourage students to compare their scores to the full estimated range in the table above rather than to a single value (our “Most Likely”). These estimates are built from prior performance data and from data on what scores are doing nationally. State and national numbers are not always in alignment. Cutoffs are particularly bumpy in states with smaller pools of test takers and National Merit Semifinalists. Over the last 10 years, large states’ cutoffs have remained within 1 point of the prior cutoff 88% of the time. That figure drops to 73% for midsized states and 53% for small states. No large state’s cutoff has jumped by more than 3 points in a year, whereas 6-point changes have occurred in the pool of smaller states. Scores also tend to be more stable as they get higher. It is more unusual for a state to move from 221 to 222, for example, than for a state to move from 212 to 213.

What does a cutoff mean? Do I need to score at the cutoff or above it? Students must have a Selection Index at or above the official cutoff in order to qualify for National Merit honors.

The top 52,000 to 54,000 students will receive some form of honors. National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) determines the cutoff number that comes closest to producing the target number of national honorees. This is the Commended cutoff.

How are Semifinalist cutoffs set? Unlike the national Commended cutoff, Semifinalist cutoffs are calculated state by state. NMSC allocates the 16,000 semifinalists among states based on the annual number of high school graduates. For example, California sees about 2,000 Semifinalists every year, Michigan 500, and Wyoming 25. In each state, NMSC determines the Selection Index that comes closest to matching its target number of Semifinalists. If 1,900 California students score 222 and higher and 2,050 score 221 or higher, then the Semifinalist cutoff would be 221 (this assumes that the target is exactly 2,000). Because score levels can get crowded, it is easy for cutoffs to move up or down a point even when there is minimal change in testing behavior or performance.

No Semifinalist cutoff can be lower than the national Commended level. Cutoffs for the District of Columbia and for U.S. students studying abroad are set at the highest state cutoff (typically New Jersey). The cutoff for students in U.S. territories and possessions falls at the Commended level each year. Boarding schools are grouped by region. The cutoff for a given region is the highest state cutoff within the region.

Why does the number of top scorers vary from year to year? While there are changes in the number of students taking the PSAT/NMSQT, there can also be small flaws in test scaling that play a role. Prior to the digital PSAT, a single test form was seen by a large percentage of test takers. Something amiss with that single form could impact selection cutoffs across the country. The digital PSAT is constructed differently. Students receive unique form codes drawn from a large pool of problems. Scaled scores are generated based on the characteristics of those problems. In theory, this should make scores more stable. College Board’s early studies have found an extremely high correlation between the paper-and-pencil test and digital test. Still, even with its adaptive nature, the uncertainty remains as to whether the much shorter test can reliably score students at the 700-760 end of the scale. It appears that the class of 2025 is roughly average compared to the classes of 2017 to 2024 (the years after the change from the 2400 to 1520 scale).

Will test cancellations raise or lower qualifying scores for the National Merit Scholarship Program? College Board’s online systems failed under load on one of the biggest testing days. There was also a bug that prevented iPads on the latest operating system from submitting exams. We do not know how many schools or students simply gave up and did not retest on rescheduled dates. If the cancellations increase the number of students pursuing alternate entry (see Compass’s explanation of National Merit alternate entry ) then cutoffs could rise. Alternate entrants tend to have higher scores, because they can submit SAT scores through June 2024 to enter the competition. They must apply by April.

When are National Merit Semifinalists announced? The Commended cutoff becomes unofficially known by the end of April. The lists of Semifinalists are not distributed to high schools until the end of August. NMSC sets a press embargo on Semifinalist announcement until mid-September, but schools are allowed to notify students before that date. NMSC does not send Commended Student letters to high schools until mid-September. Compass will keep students updated on developments as those dates approach.

Do state and national percentiles indicate whether I will be a National Merit Semifinalist? No! Approximately 1% of test takers qualify as Semifinalists each year, so it is tempting to view a 99th percentile score as indicating a high enough score — especially now that College Board provides students with percentiles by state. There are any number of flaws that rule out using percentiles as a quick way of determining National Merit status.

• Percentiles are based on section scores or total score, not Selection Index
• Percentiles are rounded. There is a large difference, from a National Merit perspective, between the top 0.51% and the top 1.49%
• Percentiles reveal the percentage of students at or below a certain score, but the “at” part is important when NMSC is determining cutoffs.
• The number of Semifinalists is based on the number of high school graduates in a state, not the number of PSAT takers. Percentiles are based on PSAT takers. States have widely varying participation rates.
• Most definitive of all: Percentiles do not reflect the current year’s scores! They are based on the prior 3 years’ performance. They are set even before the test is given. And if you are going to use prior history, why not use the completely accurate record of prior National Merit cutoffs rather than the highly suspect percentiles?

Entry requirements for National Merit versus qualifying for National Merit. Your PSAT/NMSQT score report tells you whether you meet the eligibility requirements for the NMSP. In general, juniors taking the October PSAT are eligible. If you have an asterisk next to your Selection Index, it means that your answers to the entrance questions have made you ineligible. Your answers are conveniently noted on your score report. If you think there is an error, you will also find instructions on how to contact NMSC. Meeting the eligibility requirements simply means that your score will be considered. Approximately 1.4 million students enter the competition each year. Only about 52,000 students will be named as Commended Students, Semifinalists, Finalists, or Scholars. See National Merit Explained for more information.

Share this post with friends:

About Art Sawyer

Art graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, where he was the top-ranked liberal arts student in his class. Art pioneered the one-on-one approach to test prep in California in 1989 and co-founded Compass Education Group in 2004 in order to bring the best ideas and tutors into students' homes and computers. Although he has attained perfect scores on all flavors of the SAT and ACT, he is routinely beaten in backgammon.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

Role: --- Student Parent/Guardian Counselor Other

Class Year: --- 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 Other N/A

Popular Posts

• National Merit Semifinalist Cutoffs Class of 2025 April 8, 2024
• SAT and ACT Policies and Score Ranges for Popular Colleges and Universities May 10, 2024
• Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores November 20, 2023
• National Merit Scholarship Program Explained October 4, 2023
• Using digital PSAT Scores to Compare SAT and ACT October 23, 2023

Recent Posts

• Testing Policies in the Spotlight May 14, 2024
• Compass Hosts Counselor Symposia Featuring Admissions Veteran Jonathan Burdick May 3, 2024
• Unusual Surprise for the June ACT Online April 30, 2024

Previous Post Unusual Surprise for the June ACT Online

Next post superscoring and score choice policies, 3,713 comments.

Thanks Art! I appreciate your experience, wisdom, and time in responding.

We’re in Michigan and my student received a selection index score of 218. We’re feeling ‘on the bubble’. Could you tell us whether Michigan is considered a larger state (smaller swings) or a medium state (little more volatile) and what percentage you would apply to the likelihood of being a national merit semifinalist? Thank you!

Brad, Michigan is relatively steady. We saw big jumps when the Michigan switch from state-funded ACTs to state-funded SATs, but that is well in the rearview at this point. The years where Michigan was at 219 were all ones where we saw high Commended cutoffs. A move to 219 is not impossible, but I consider it very unlikely — <10%. So that puts likelihood of a 218 at 90%+.

My son is sitting on a 800 Math / 700 EBRW on the SAT. I would like to enroll him in the June 1 SAT Intensive Course (so he could bump that verbal score up for the purpose of NMSC). That said, I would like that to cover only the EVRW portion of the course (at half the cost for the course). Would that be doable? (I have to enroll him by tomorrow, April 26).

Best regards, Tsvetan

Sorry that I am just seeing this Tsevtan. Unfortunately, we do not currently offer a group class that concentrates exclusively on the ERW.

If he is a junior, then that SAT score will already be sufficient as a confirming score. If he is a sophomore looking to get ready for the fall PSAT/NMSQT, then I can appreciate why he wants to do some verbal work.

Hi, this is all new to us. My daughter got at 212 in South Dakota… I’m thinking from what I’ve read on your site that there is a high chance she will at least be a commended scholar? Thanks!

Rachael, At minimum, your daughter will receive Commended honors. The Semifinalist cutoff for South Dakota is a wildcard. In the past it has come in as low as the Commended level and as high as 5 points above Commended. Your daughter will qualify as long as it doesn’t go higher than +4 (the Commended is 208 this year). I’d put her chances at Semifinalist at around 60-70%.

Hello, I got 218 in Illinois. Will this be enough to be a semi finalist this year?

John, I think it’s a bit more likely that the cutoff will come in at 219 this year, but we did see 218 for the class of 2022. I’d estimate the offs of a drop at about 1 in 3. Good luck!

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Please enable JavaScript to submit this form.

By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy .

© 2024 Compass Education Group. SAT, PSAT, NMSC, National Merit, Merit Scholar, ACT, ISEE, SSAT, HSPT and AP are registered trademarks not owned by Compass Education Group. The trademark holders were not involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this website.

• OUR APPROACH
• DIGITAL SAT / PSAT
• ACADEMIC / STUDY SKILLS
• COLLEGE WRITING PREP
• HSPT / ISEE / SSAT / SHSAT
• ACT/SAT FUNDAMENTALS
• ALL CLASSES
• SAT, ACT, & PSAT
• SAT/ACT ESSENTIALS
• MATH SUMMER BRIDGE
• PROCTORED (In-Person or Live Online)
• INTERACTIVE (Online, On-Demand)
• DIGITAL ADAPTIVE (New for Class of ’25 & Beyond)
• SELF-ADMINISTERED
• RESOURCE CENTER
• COMPASS GUIDE
• PRIVACY POLICY

Scholarship Essays

National Merit Scholarship Essay Example 1 - Influential Person or Obstacle

To help the reviewers get to know you, describe an experience you have had, a person who has influenced you, or an obstacle you have overcome. explain why this is meaningful to you.

"What's your box?" The speaker's words, amplified by the microphone, resonated in my mind. What is my box? I know what my box is, that is the thing that limits me, that keeps me from opening myself up to the world, and I am well aware of the fact that it exists. But why does my box exist? I didn't know, and that's why I couldn't stop mulling over those three words.

That assembly was unlike any that I had ever been to. The man who came to speak that day was unique. Instead of talking at us, it was like he was having a conversation with all six hundred of us. His message was simple: don't be scared. Don't be scared to break your box, to be yourself, and to get mad.

He asked us, the audience, to raise our hands if we had a box. The majority of the people sitting in the auditorium did, some reluctantly, others without hesitation. I kept my hands resting timidly in my lap. And that's when I realized. That was my box. I deny myself of the liberty of letting people in, and, in all honesty, I had no idea why it was there, barring me in almost every facet of my life.

That night, exhausted, I laid on my bed and squeezed my eyes shut, but sleep did not come as easily as I had hoped or expected. Instead, I found myself pondering over that one question: why does my box exist? Although my eyes were focused intently on the ceiling, I was looking at a slideshow of my life. I scanned through the years, looking for one particular event so profound that it altered the way that I presented myself to the public. And I found nothing. Sure, there were some sad moments in my life, but none where there was such a discernible difference in my attitude after it passed.

I found myself dismayed by my fruitless search. But in that time that I spent engrossed in my psyche, I took a close look at my mental processes and I learned more about myself than I ever had before. I know now that there is no single event that altered my development or defined me; I am who I am because of a multitude of factors and it is important that I come to accept these aspects of myself if I am to change.

In my opinion, it is essential that we get to know ourselves, even if we don't know what exactly makes us the people we are. if we hope to mature and develop, it helps to have an understanding of ourselves. In that one day of introspection, I learned a lot about myself. That assembly is significant to me because it prompted a single question that inspired a progression in my way of thinking.

Original Source: Essay Forum

Finished Papers

Customer Reviews

Our writers always follow the customers' requirements very carefully