Do National Merit Scholars get scholarships?
In the National Merit® Scholarship Program, three types of Merit Scholarship® awards are offered to Finalists: National Merit $2500 Scholarships, corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards, and college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards.
What score qualifies you for the National Merit Scholarship?
Qualifying Score for National Merit Semifinalist by State
| State | Selection Index |
|---|---|
| California | 221 |
| Colorado | 217 |
| Connecticut | 220 |
| Delaware | 219 |
How do you know if you are a National Merit Commended Student?
National Merit is open to U.S. citizens who test in the U.S. in the fall of 11th grade. NMSC compares your PSAT scores with those of other students in your state using its own Selection Index, which falls on a scale between 48 and 228. The top 3-4% of scorers are named Commended Scholar.
What percentage of students are National Merit finalists?
The top 1.25 percent of test takers become National Merit Semifinalists, and the next 3 percent are Commended students and receive an honorary certificate.
How hard is it to become a National Merit finalist?
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 much are merit scholarships?
Merit-based scholarships range from $1,000 at state schools, to full rides at private schools worth as much as $35,000 a year, though most fall somewhere in between. There are websites detailing the awards at hundreds of schools. The average annual award is around $5,000.
Do colleges accept PSAT scores?
The College Board does not send PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 scores to colleges. These scores are not intended to be part of college admission decisions. You are allowed to withhold scores from college admission and athletic offices, even when colleges ask for them.