"How Does My Student Become A National Merit Scholar?"
If you’re the parent of an incoming or current high school student, you’ve most likely heard the term “National Merit Scholar,” but you may not know exactly how one earns that title.
The National Merit Scholarship Program is a competitive means of honoring students across the country with the most outstanding scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test scores, otherwise known as the PSAT/NMSQT. So how does your child do that?
How old is your child? The program requires that the student be in their third year of high school, regardless of the specific grade that correlates to. The student must also be “progressing normally” towards graduation, and be planning to attend college the fall after completing high school.
Are they registered? Many schools require all juniors to take the PSAT, whether or not they are interested in being a National Merit Scholar. Registration is done through the school your student is attending, so if they are not registered automatically, make sure they speak with a guidance counselor as early as possible to sign up themselves.
Are they prepared? Many schools also encourage sophomores to take the PSAT, in order to familiarize themselves with the exam structure, content, and timing. When it comes to standardized testing, practice is one of the most accessible and effective ways of improving scores and performance.
Once a student takes their PSAT, the scores are sent directly to the National Merit Scholarship organization, where they calculate which students scored in the highest indexes across Reading, Writing and Language, and Math. The following year, high schools are contacted directly to be informed of which students have qualified as “Commended Students” and which qualify as “Semifinalists.”
Commended Students do not continue on in the competition, but they may be eligible for scholarships from other organizations or corporations.
Semifinalists with high academic performance and an endorsement from their school principal (click here for specific requirements) will move on to be honored as Finalists, and provided with a certificate of merit.
Finally, within the pool of Finalists, the winners of the National Merit Scholarship competition are chosen based on their skills and abilities determined by an evaluation of the following:
The Finalist's academic record
Information about the school's curricula and grading system
PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index score
The high school official's written recommendation
Information about the student's activities and leadership
The Finalist's own essay
Being a National Merit Scholar is an invaluable competitive edge to any college applications, and can also mean substantial scholarship awards. For more information on preparing your child for this great opportunity, reach out to a member of the Ivy Link team to create a personalized plan as soon as possible.
