National Merit Scholarship debunked

Hey Juniors (and Sophomores)!

GOOD LUCK AT PSAT TOMORROW!

You have probably started seeing information about our class related to National Merit and the like. I wanted to share with you 10 facts about it that you might find useful.

1) There are three separate scholarship programs under the umbrella corporation of National Merit: National Merit, National Achievement, and National Hispanic Recognition.

2) For juniors, when you take the test, there is a minimum score to qualify as a SEMIFINALIST* for each program. That minimum score is different for all three programs.

3) The National Achievement Program is for black students. If you are at least a quarter black, you can state that you are black in the correct check box tomorrow on test day.

4) The National Hispanic Recognition Program is for Hispanic students (duh??). If you are at least a quarter Hispanic, you can state that you are Hispanic in the correct check box tomorrow on test day.

5) National Achievement/National Merit may end up giving you money. National Hispanic just recognizes achievement,without money.

6) The test score doesn't mean automatic scholarship money. In fact, it just makes you a semifinalist. Semifinalists, who find out said status fall of their senior year, can then apply to be a finalist. Then, of those finalists, only around half go on to get actual scholarship money (about $2500).

7) You must have taken the SAT or plan on taking it early in the fall of your senior year in order to qualify as a finalist. Further, you must get around the score that was expected based on your PSAT score [just add a zero: 205=2050) (Lisa says you can be up to about 250 points off that target PSAT estimate)

8) Every year, there are 16,000 Merit semifinalists, 1,600 National Achievement semifinalists, ~5,000 National Hispanic recognized students.

9) There are also 34,000 Commended Students, who just get recognition.

10) DON'T STRESS ABOUT THIS. Not all Uni kids get it. Big Deal. You all won't get into the same colleges. There are a billion other scholarships, some with more money, some with less. Just relax :]

GOOD LUCK!!
-Your PCCs