national merit scholarship essay prompt

Choose Your Test

• Search Blogs By Category
• College Admissions
• AP and IB Exams
• GPA and Coursework

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?

Trending Now

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?

ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Your Free

Find Your Target SAT Score

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing

How to Improve Your Low SAT Score

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing

Find Your Target ACT Score

Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests

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

Get a 36 on ACT English

Get a 36 on ACT Math

Get a 36 on ACT Reading

Get a 36 on ACT Science

How to Improve Your Low ACT Score

Get a 24 on ACT English

Get a 24 on ACT Math

Get a 24 on ACT Reading

Get a 24 on ACT Science

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

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!

National Merit Scholarship Program Explained

Below we cover the the most frequently asked questions about the National Merit Scholarship Program. Please see our National Merit Semifinalist Cutoffs page for the latest information on actual and projected Selection Index cutoffs by state.

What is the National Merit Scholarship Program and how do you enter? The NMSP is a program administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in cooperation with the College Board to recognize high achieving high school seniors. Some recognition levels are based purely on junior PSAT/NMSQT scores, while other levels have additional qualifications (explained below). The NMSC gives out approximately $50 million in scholarships each year, and some colleges provide lowered —or even free —tuition to recognized students, multiplying the net impact of National Merit severalfold.

You must take the PSAT/NMSQT as a high school junior and either attend high school in the United States or U.S. Territories or be a U.S. student studying abroad. On your PSAT score report, you will see a section with your Selection Index and how you answered the questions about your entry eligibility. If there is an asterisk next to your Selection Index, it means that NMSC believes that you are ineligible.

What if I couldn’t take the PSAT? Every year students miss the PSAT for legitimate reasons such as illness. To allow those students the opportunity to compete in National Merit, NMSC has a process known as alternate entry . Students must make a written request to NMSC for an alternate entry application form. The application itself must be signed off on by your principal or counselor and postmarked no later than April 1 after the missed PSAT/NMSQT.

What is the Selection Index? The Selection Index is a weighting of your PSAT component scores to determines the level of your recognition within the initial stages of the National Merit program.

How is the Selection Index calculated? The Selection Index is double the sum of your Reading and Writing (RW) score, and Math score divided by 10. Alternatively, you can simply drop the last zero on your section scores, double the RW and add the Math. For example, a student with scores of 690 RW and 720 M would have a Selection Index of 69 x 2 + 72 = 210. You cannot directly calculate a Selection Index from a Total Score (320 – 1520). For students entering the competition with an SAT score through Alternate Entry, note that — when calculating a Selection Index — each SAT section is capped at 760. If, for example, you have a 700 RW and 800 Math, your Selection Index would be 70 x2 + 76 = 216.

Why is the Reading and Writing twice as important as the Math? The emphasis on “verbal” skills has a long history with the NMSP. The digital PSAT no longer has separate Reading and Writing scores, but the RW score is still doubled.

I’ve already received my PSAT scores; how can I find out whether I will qualify for recognition? Although you can use the Compass projections to estimate whether you are likely to qualify as a Commended Student or Semifinalist, there is no way of knowing your official status until high schools are notified by NMSC in early September of your senior year (sometimes schools hear by late August). Compass has published the cutoffs for the class of 2024 and estimates for the class of 2025 . An historical archive dating back more than 15 years can be found here . The Commended cutoff for future classes becomes unofficially known in the April after the PSAT. Compass will report this score and how it may impact Semifinalist cutoffs on our regularly updated cutoffs post.

Will I qualify as a Semifinalist if I am in the 99th percentile for Selection Index according to my score report? Although approximately 1% of test takers will become Semifinalists, there are a number of reasons why percentile scores are far too inaccurate to determine eligibility. Even the state percentiles that are now on the digital SAT report do not have enough information, because they are actually based on the prior 3 years of scores. Further, the percentile is rounded, and not accurate enough to determine cutoffs.

Why do some states have more Semifinalists and Finalists than other states? Although Commended Scholars are honored based on a single, national cutoff, NMSC distributes Semifinalists proportionally to states (and District of Columbia and U.S. Territories) based on the number of graduating students in the state. For example, California sees approximately 2,100 Semifinalists each year—the most in the country. It gets 13% of Semifinalists because it produces approximately 13% of high school graduates. Mississippi, on the other hand, typically sees about 135 National Merit Semifinalists, because the state produces a bit more than 0.8% of U.S. graduates. The distribution is completely unrelated to the number of students taking the PSAT in the state.

Why are Semifinalist cutoffs so much higher in some states than in others? Two things that have impact on cutoffs are participation rates and demographics. In some states, ACT is the dominant test and not as many students take the PSAT. This leaves some students out of the competition and will tend to produce lower cutoffs. Some states have large pockets of extremely qualified students and are particularly competitive. For example, Massachusetts and New Jersey have class of 2024 cutoffs of 222 and 223, respectively. At the other end of the spectrum, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming had NMSF cutoffs of 207 for the class of 2024. The minimum Semifinalist cutoff for a state is the national Commended level. If, for example, the Commended cutoff is at 210, no state can have a Semifinalist cutoff less than 210.

How are Semifinalists set for homeschoolers, boarding school students, or U.S. students studying abroad? Homeschoolers are treated no differently than other students in a state. U.S. students studying abroad will have to meet the highest state cutoff in the country. For the class of 2024, that was 223. Boarding school cutoffs are the most complex to calculate. Instead of being set at the state level, they are determined regionally. A Northeast boarding school student, for example, must meet the highest cutoff of any state within the Northeast region. NMSC defines boarding schools as schools with predominantly out-of-state students. NMSC considers your state to be where you went to school when you took the PSAT, not your state of residency or the state of your new school.

Do I have to be a U.S. citizen to participate? NMSC has made this part of the process easier to understand than it was in the past. Students at high school in the U.S. or in U.S. Territories are eligible. Period. Students studying abroad are eligible as long as they are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents of the U.S. (“green card”) or or have applied for permanent residence (the application for which has not been denied) and intend to become U.S. citizens at the earliest opportunity allowed by law.

Will NMSC notify me if I become a Semifinalist? No. NMSC provides information only to schools until a student becomes a Finalist. Homeschoolers are the exception.

When will my school tell me? NMSC mails information to schools in late August. Some schools let students know their status in early September. Many schools wait until NMSC officially releases student names to the press in the second week of September. Compass will track all of the latest news on our Semifinalists cutoff page.

Will being a Semifinalist help get me into my first-choice college? While Semifinalist status is a nice award to list on your application, you should not expect it alone to have a significant impact on your admission chances at most colleges. The recognition tells college that you did well on the PSAT. Your SAT and ACT scores are far more important to colleges; your National Merit status does not add much new information. However, having a high number of enrolled Semifinalists is seen as a badge of honor at some colleges and will factor in their admission decisions. Some colleges have programs specifically to attract National Merit Finalists and offer large merit awards.

Do I need to take the SAT to become a Semifinalist? No. Commended Student and Semifinalist recognition are based only on your Selection Index and your entry eligibility.

What happens after I am named a Semifinalist? Semifinalists will receive login credentials for the Finalist application portal. You will need to provide background information and an essay. Your school will need to provide its recommendation and electronically submit your application in the second week of October,

What is the National Merit Finalist essay prompt? NMSC may change the prompt in future years, but it has been the same for many years. It is broad enough that most students are able to use or slightly rework their Common App essay. For the class of 2024, the prompt was:

“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.”

There is not a word limit specified, but the essay must fit within the provided space (approximately 3500 characters). Expect to keep your essay to 600 – 650 words.

Do I need to take the SAT or ACT to become a Finalist? Among the requirements to proceed from Semifinalist to Finalist is that you receive a “confirming score.” This score helps validate that you can, on an official SAT or ACT test date, achieve a high score and confirm your testing skill.

Can a high ACT score be a confirming score? Yes, the ACT can be used to confirm PSAT results.

How high of an SAT score do I need for a confirming score? The confirming score is determined each year by NMSC and is calculated in the same way as the PSAT Selection Index. The confirming score is set nationally, so it does not matter what Semifinalist cutoff you met. The confirming SAT Selection Index (SSI) generally falls at or near the Commended cutoff.

The easiest calculation of the SSI is from your section scores. Drop a zero, double your RW, and add your Math score. For example, Student X might have a total score of 1450, with section scores of 720 RW and 730 M. Student X’s SSI would be 2(72) + 73 = 217. It’s possible for a student with a lower total score to have a higher SSI. Student Y has a total score of 1430, with section scores of 750 ERW and 690 M. Student Y’s SSI would be 2(75) + 69 = 219.

You cannot determine your SSI directly from your total score. One student scoring 1400 might have a high enough SSI, whereas another student with a 1400 might fall short. You must know your RW and Math scores.

How high of an ACT score do I need for a confirming score? NMSC wants to have a level playing field, so it converts components of the ACT score into an SAT Selection Index. In order to do that, you need to use the official concordance tables published by ACT/College Board. There is no SAT Science, so NMSC does not look at ACT Science. So discard that score.

Step 1: Add your ACT English and ACT Reading scores Step 2: Use the ACT E+R to SAT RW concordance table to find the concordant SAT RW score based on the sum in step 1. Be sure that you are going in the correct direction when using the concordance tables. ACT E+R to SAT RW is not always the same as SAT RW to ACT E+R. Step 3: Use the ACT M to SAT M table to find the concordant SAT M score based on your ACT Math score. Step 4: Calculate your SAT SI: drop the last zeros (i.e. divide by 10), double your RW, and add your Math score. You want this number to be at least as high as your class year’s Commended Student score.

Example: A student has ACT scores of 32E, 34M, 33R, and 31S. Science is not used. The sum of E and R is 65. In the concordance tables, this is equivalent to a 700 RW. The 34 Math is concordant to a 760. This student’s SAT Selection Index is 70×2 + 76 = 216.

When do I have to take the SAT or ACT for the score to be ‘confirmed’? You can use any SAT or ACT score from the fall of your sophomore year to December of your senior year. This means that you could have received an SAT confirming score even before taking the PSAT/NMSQT. NMSC recommends that you not wait until the December test date.

How do I submit scores to NMSC? NMSC does not automatically know your SAT and ACT scores. You must submit them just as you would to a college. The College Board code for NMSC is 0085. The ACT code is 7984. Please verify these codes before submitting. Since NMSC will use your highest scores, there is no penalty for choosing them as one of your free score recipients when you register for the SAT or ACT.

Can I superscore SAT or ACT dates in order to reach the confirming score cutoff? No. NMSC will use your highest scores, but will not superscore across test dates.

If I have achieved a confirming score, is there any reason to shoot for a higher score? The requirement for a confirming score is simply true or false when applying to become a Finalist. However, your test scores are used to evaluate you during the scholarship phase of the competition. Depending on your goals, you may want to optimize your score.

Can sophomores qualify for National Merit recognition? No. Even if your scores are high enough, you will not be eligible for National Merit as a sophomore unless you will be graduating a year early. In that case, you should contact NMSC or your principal about next steps as NMSC has no way of automatically knowing your eligibility.

Is it hard for a Semifinalist to become a Finalist? Of the 16,000 Semifinalists, 15,000 become Finalists. You must go through an application process to proceed to Finalist level and then to compete for National Merit Scholarships. As part of the application, you must meet citizenship requirements, have a satisfactory academic record, achieve a confirming score on the SAT or ACT (and submit the scores to NMSC!), write an essay, and receive a recommendation from your principal. More information can be found in the PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide . In the Semifinalist letter from your school (it will NOT come from NMSC unless you are homeschooled), NMSC will provide details about how to begin the process online.

When will I find out if I am a Finalist? You will be notified in February of senior year.

Do all Finalists receive scholarships? What is a National Merit Scholar? Only about half of Finalists become National Merit Scholars and receive a National Merit Scholarship. There are three types of scholarships for Finalists, each with its own criteria. A student can only receive one type of scholarship. Approximately 4,000 Finalists receive scholarships from sponsoring colleges with renewable stipends of $500–$2,500 per year. Students must be accepted by a sponsoring institution and list the college as first choice in order to receive a college-sponsored award. These awards are not transferable to another college. Corporations sponsor approximately 1,000 awards for Finalists each year with a minimum one-time value of $2,500 or $1,000 renewable. Most of these awards are to Finalists who are the children of employees. Approximately 2,500 students receive awards of $2,500 directly from National Merit. These awards are highly competitive and are allocated proportionally by state. A list of sponsoring colleges and corporations can be found in the PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide .

I’ve heard about colleges that provide full-ride awards. Why are college-sponsored awards only listed as $500–$2,500 per year? Colleges can also choose to provide additional awards to National Merit Finalists. These are not technically National Merit Scholarships, but they can be the most important awards for many students. Which colleges offer these awards and how much they offer can change from year to year. In recent years, Florida has had a generous scholarship program for National Merit Finalists, and schools such as UT-Dallas and Texas A&M also provide substantial awards. Compass does not maintain a database of scholarships. The National Merit forum at collegeconfidential.com is a useful resource.

Are scholarships available to Commended Students and Semifinalists? Technically, these students cannot be National Merit Scholars, but approximately 1,100 of them will receive Special Scholarships from sponsoring corporations. As with other corporate-sponsored awards, these are predominantly for the children of employees, although companies can also identify students in a particular region or field of study.

When will I find out if I receive a scholarship? You will be notified of scholarship status sometime between March and June of your senior year. In order to receive a college-sponsored scholarship, you must note the college as your first choice on the National Merit application. It can be to your advantage not to immediately choose a first-choice college—you can leave it as “Undecided.” You do not want to miss out on a large scholarship because you have listed the wrong college. There is no reason to list a college that does not provide National Merit Scholarships. List your first-choice among college that do provide scholarships. You can update your choice via the Online Scholarship Application portal.

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.

Popular Posts

• National Merit Semifinalist Cutoffs Class of 2026 November 13, 2024
• SAT and ACT Policies and Score Ranges for Popular Colleges and Universities August 30, 2024
• Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores September 27, 2024
• Superscoring and Score Choice Policies April 8, 2024
• ACT and SAT Testing Dates June 13, 2024

Recent Posts

• Will They or Won’t They? Tracking Colleges’ New ACT Requirements November 22, 2024
• What’s a Good Digital PSAT Score? November 3, 2024
• The PSAT Counselor Toolkit October 23, 2024

Previous Post Admissions Policies for Homeschooled Students

Next post national merit semifinalist cutoffs class of 2024 - archived, 478 comments.

Hello! I had a question about Alternative Entry. If a student took the PSAT/NMSQT as a 10th grader (as practice, with the rest of his class), would this then disqualify him from using the “Alternative Entry” method in 11th grade? I realize that to do Alternative Entry you can’t already taken the PSAT– but I wasn’t sure if that applied to just PSATs in junior year, when kids are eligible for entering the National Merit competition. [For clarification- I’m sure the test that the kids took was the PSAT/NMSQT, and NOT the PSAT 10.] Thank you!

Steph, Only the junior year PSAT/NMSQT serves as a qualifier for National Merit. The sophomore year test your student took is, therefore, irrelevant. The Alternate Entry process specifically applies to students who are unable to take the 11th grade PSAT.

Hi Art, For a 10th grader, would you recommend taking PSAT/NMSQT or SAT given that to qualify for NMSC, the child would have to re-take PSAT/NMSQT again in junior year.

Vivek, There is not a right or wrong answer here. Normally I would recommend that a student go ahead and take the PSAT. It’s convenient; it’s very similar to the digital SAT. That last part is important. If the student’s testing career is going to extend beyond this December (and that’s true for virtually all sophomores), they will be taking the digital SAT. If your student wants to get in a paper SAT, they have until December. For all but a very small number of sophomores, that seems like overkill. A fall sophomore is unlikely to be at a point where they’ll get a final score (the exception would be students already well into the 1500s). And it doesn’t have a practice benefit because the paper SAT is almost gone. So my soft recommendation would be to go ahead and take the PSAT.

1. For the students who got selected to semi-finalists, they need to submit only one school of their choice (one of the questions) in the NMSQT finalist application – does the public/private school choice make a difference in getting the Corporate/NMSQT awards? 2. Do the parents need to be an employee of the Corporate Sponsors to receive any awards under the corporate awards category?

Thank you in advance. Best,

Neelahm, If a Semifinalist becomes a Finalist and has listed a school that sponsors National Merit, NMSC will generally match the student with a school award. If the student’s first choice is not a sponsor, then they will be eligible for a corporate or NMSC award. The student’s first choice school can be updated through April, I believe, but the matching process starts in March.

Most corporate awards are for the children of employees. You can find more info here on page 10 of the Student Guide .

English Learners cannot take the NMSQT w/accommodations such as “extended time”; the system does not allow them. Is this a true statement?

Synde, That is a true statement. There is no accommodation specifically for English Learners on the PSAT, SAT, or ACT as far as I am aware.

Hello Art If my ACT is 35 & translates to 228/230 ( twice taken ) and SAT is (229) , which do you think should I submit? Also if I do ACT should I just submit the superscore as it will include both. Would you also be able to chime in with regards to colleges which would be a better option to send SAT ( 1530 ) or ACT (35 both times) ?

As always thank you so much for your time & help Best MaryAnn

Mary Ann, Both your SAT and ACT are so strong that it doesn’t matter for National Merit which one you provide. Those scores are only used as a minimum qualifying standard — the “confirming score.” They are not used in the competition itself.

It’s very much a toss-up for colleges. As a single point to point concordance, a 35 is equivalent to a 1540. In the other direction, a 1530 is concordant with a 35. You might say that the ACT is ever so slightly stronger.

Thank you so much for your kind help and time! Best !

My son is in his junior year and he has an SAT score of 1570 and a PSAT score of 1460. Do you think he has a chance to qualify to become a semi finalist for NMSQT Scholarship? Please let us know.

Thanks, Usha

Usha, Only his PSAT score matters for qualification as a Semifinalist. Actually, it’s the Selection Index that matters, not so much his 1460. The SI puts twice the weight on the Reading and Writing score. You’ll find his Selection Index on his score report. The cutoffs are determined by state. In some places he would probably qualify easily. In other states he might miss out. See our estimates in my other post here .

I wanted to ask if you know what the typical cutoffs for the National Merit African American, Hispanic recognition, Rural recognition typically are? I know they’ve been making some changes the past few years? I’m a tutor who’s going to be doing some pro bono work at a Title I school in our county for some of their top sophs this coming fall and the admin asked if i knew what the typical cutoffs are for those programs!

Love your blog!

MG, I wish I could be more helpful here, but College Board doesn’t release the figures — at least not en masse. The cutoffs are set by state, and student must be in the top 10% of scores (they can also qualify via AP scores). You might want to call College Board and ask about your state.

Thank you for the kind words, and thank you for helping students in your local area!

My son got a 226 composite score, so we are most certain he will make the semi-finalist list. But, he only has a 1480 in SAT (770 r/w, 710 math). Will that be sufficient to move from semi-finalist to finalist? Are there any red flags he should watchout for during the application process?

Walker, Not sure how I missed your post from December! Congratulations to your son! Yes, the 770/710 is more than high enough to serve as a confirming score. It basically needs to be at the Commended level and otherwise doesn’t impact his Finalist application. The process is straightforward. His grades are his grades. He will fill out a short application, write an essay (the hardest part, although it is a general topic where students can often rework other essays), and get a recommendation from the school. No red flags, just deadlines to hit. Your son will get login information to the application portal with his Semifinalist letter in September.

Art, you’re doing great work on your blog! Thanks for sharing your insights. Our son just learned of his Semifinalist status today, so I’ve been reading! Matt M, Raleigh NC + 1998 National Merit Scholarship recipient…=)

Matt, Congratulations to your son for keeping the family tradition going!

Hi Art – we are trying to understand the SAT Index cut off score needed to become a finalist. We are in Texas and my kid has a PSAT SSI of 221 but the SAT confirming index score is 220. Does this SAT SSI meet the requirement for finalist cut off? (I do know there are other things considered to become a finalist, but trying to understand the SAT SSI portion of it). Thanks a lot for all your analysis and also the support you provide to parents by answering their questions. Thank you – Mak

Mak, The confirming SAT score needs to meet a nationally set minimum, which is usually (yes, I am avoiding “always”) set at the Commended level (which was 208 this yeaar). So a 220 is well above the score your student needs. It’s confusing terminology, because the score doesn’t need to “confirm” that your student is at the 221 level.

My employer is a corporate sponsor of National Merit scholarships and my daughter has done well with a perfect score on both the PSAT and ACT. However, she is not too sure if the list of college sponsors on the national merit scholarships is among her first choice for sure. It may or may not end up being depending on which other places she ends up with offers from and many other considerations .

So the dilemma we’re in now is if we should select one of the colleges in the sponsor list as her potential first choice or leave it as Undecided. If she gets matched to that college scholarship but does not end up going there thereby losing out on the college award but could we then also miss out on one of the other two possibilities which are more flexible in terms of college choice . The confusion essentially is due to lack of clarity in the priority of how one of the three types scholarships are awarded given that you’re only eligible to get one of them.

Any insight (preferably official from NMSC) and guidance you can provide in this regard is appreciated. And once again many Thanks for this wonderful blog.

Shail, You sort of answered your own question: “preferably official from NMSC.” I would strongly recommend that you call NMSC to discuss. They are in the business of making matches, so they’ll be helpful (if not now, certainly after Finalist selection). They generally want to maximize the scholarship dollars that the pool of Finalists can receive. I would recommend remaining as Undecided until your daughter has more clarity on her choice of schools. Matching doesn’t happen until spring. Your company’s award may actually be higher than the college award. Some companies sponsor all Finalists, and some finance a fixed number. Being a recipient of a corporate-sponsored award is going to be prioritized over a National Merit-sponsored award. Again, NMSC wants to see as many students as possible receive scholarships. Good luck in the process. It sounds like your daughter is in an enviable position!

Hi Art, my son is a semi-finalist. His SAT selection index is 210, and I keep reading that the cutoff will be at or around 208. Would you recommend retesting in hopes of a higher SSI, or are we most likely safe at 210? Thank you!

Matthew, Congratulations to your son! The confirming score cutoff is usually set at the Commended level, which is 208 this year. And when I say “usually,” I mean that I can’t recall an exception. But I avoid saying “always” because NMSC avoids saying always. My recommendation is to call NMSC and ask. I think he’ll be safe, but it is worth the call to confirm!

If I take the SAT or ACT multiple times to get the highest score for national merit finalist qualification, will that count against me?

I think it does not matter as you only submit one score, but is there some way they know you took it multiple times (and got lesser scores?)

Thank you! Great blog and article, so helpful!

Kim, You can take the test as many times as you like and submit as many scores as you like. Neither will be counted against you. NMSC looks at your highest score (not superscored) when evaluating a confirming score. SAT/ACT scores are not otherwise used in determining Finalists or Scholars.

Hi, could an excellent SAT score obtained during freshman year be able to be used or do I need to retake the SAT to become a National Merit Scholar?

Jenny, You would need to retake. NMSC accepts scores from fall of sophomore year through December of senior year as confirming scores for the junior year PSAT. It’s annoying, but if you scored that well in your freshman year (!), you should have no problem.

Question – daughter just go her results yesterday and got 222 in California. The range looks like it could be as high as 223 though? This year it was 221 so I’m hoping she gets it. Do we have any clue what it’s looking like this year for California? Also, do you know if USC still participates? I’m seeing conflicting info on the web. Thanks!

Beth, It is unlikely to go as high as 223, but until we know more, it’s at least an outside consideration. No clue so far, but I’ll be providing some updates in a couple of weeks.

Yes, USC does participate. Here is a link to the merit scholarships that they offer .

If my daughter just received a 211 score in FL. Will she only be recognized as a Commended Scholar or depending on other state factors could she possibly have a shot at be a Semifinalist? Is she guaranteed a Commended Certificate with this score. Also if her Actual SAT is higher, should we use that for consideration?

Doreen, Good questions. Florida’s cutoff will be higher than a 211, so I’m afraid that your daughter will not be a Semifinalist. Students who have taken the PSAT can not use an SAT score for entry into the competition. As for Commended Student, it may be close. I think she is likely to qualify. Based on the scores that I’ve seen in the initial releases, I expect the Commended cutoff to be between 209 and 211. There is a possibility of it moving as high as 212.

Hi, Can you elaborate on, “Why is the Reading and Writing twice as important as the Math?.” I would think in today’s landscape, technical and mathematical proficiency would be at least equal to grammatical test scores.

Eric, That sentence was not meant to be a value judgment, merely a reflection on how National Merit calculates the Selection Index. The decision goes back at least 50 years, and the reasoning has been lost to history, I’m afraid. Once NMSC sets a policy, it rarely revisits it. I would not be surprised to see the weighting of the Selection Index last for another 50 years.

Art, this information is so useful! My son received a 222 index in West Virginia. I’d imagine clearing the state hurdle with rom to spare won’t impact later scholarship decisions, right? Weirdly, the student’s principal is his uncle, with same last name. Any advice about whether we discuss this with National Merit and find a different school official to complete recommendation form? Thanks for your insight.

April, That’s right. Your son will be a Semifinalist (congratulations!), but the 222 doesn’t help him any more than another student’s 213.

I can’t say that I’ve ever run into the uncle situation! Last name’s are common enough that I doubt anyone would bat an eye. But, as principal, he could also designate another school official to handle the recommendation. Here is the language NMSC uses: “Be fully endorsed for Finalist standing and recommended for a National Merit Scholarship by your high school principal (or school official designated by the principal). Your high school official will provide their endorsement when they complete your application, but they also reserve the right to revoke their endorsement at any point in the competition.”

In my experience, many principals designate the college counselors, but that is a school-by-school decision.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

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

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

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
• SAT / ACT ESSENTIALS
• ACADEMIC / STUDY SKILLS
• HSPT | ISEE | SSAT | SHSAT
• COLLEGE WRITING PREP
• ALL CLASSES
• DIGITAL SAT
• DIGITAL PSAT
• COMMON APP ESSAY
• MATH SUMMER BRIDGE
• ALL PRACTICE TESTS
• AP SUBJECTS
• RESOURCE CENTER
• COMPASS GUIDE
• PRIVACY POLICY

Get Your Free Compass Prep SAT Guide!

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.

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, national merit scholarship essay tips.

Hey folks, I was wondering what goes into writing a successful national merit scholarship essay. Do you guys have any tips or advice on what to focus on and how to make my essay stand out?

Hello! Writing a successful National Merit Scholarship essay can indeed be quite challenging since you're competing with many top students. Here are some tips that can help make your essay stand out:

1. Be authentic: Showcase your unique perspective, experiences, and values. Don't try to fit into a mold or mimic someone else's story. Your genuine voice will resonate more powerfully with the evaluators.

2. Focus on your impact: Highlight specific instances where you made a positive impact on others or your community. This could include volunteer work, leadership roles, or meaningful projects.

3. Showcase intellectual curiosity: Demonstrate your love for learning, whether it be through academic achievements, extracurricular activities closely tied to your interests, or pursuing knowledge beyond the classroom.

4. Address the prompt directly: Ensure that you answer the prompt fully while weaving in your personal story. Give examples that are relevant to the topic and support your claims.

5. Be concise and well-organized: Stick to the word limit and organize your thoughts into a clear, coherent structure. This shows evaluators that you can express yourself effectively and efficiently.

6. Be introspective: Reflect on the experiences you share and explain how they shaped you, what you learned, or how they influenced your goals and aspirations.

7. Edit and revise: Make sure your essay is polished and free from typos, grammatical errors, or awkward phrasings. You may also want to ask a teacher, counselor, or another trusted person to review and provide feedback.

8. Avoid clichés: Steer clear of overused phrases or ideas. Strive to offer fresh insights and perspectives to make your essay memorable.

For example, instead of writing about how a community service project opened your eyes to the importance of giving back, you could discuss a specific event during the project that affected you deeply and inspired you to take action beyond that single activity.

Remember, evaluators read thousands of essays, so it's essential to make your story stand out while adhering to the tips above. Good luck with your National Merit Scholarship essay!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

How to Win a National Merit Scholarship

National merit scholarship: exploring how to become a national merit scholar.

The path to covering the cost of college can be confusing and stressful. Between navigating financial aid and applying for scholarships for college, there’s a lot to keep track of. We want to make the process of finding merit-based scholarships as straightforward as possible. 

If you’re reading this article, then you already know the National Merit Scholarship can be a great option for making the cost of college more affordable. But how do you become one of the National Merit Scholarship winners? 

In this guide to National Merit Scholarships, we’ll break down:

What is the national merit scholarship.

• National Merit Scholarship requirements

What is a merit-based scholarship?

• Starting your scholarship search to find other scholarships for college
• Optimizing your odds of becoming a National Merit Scholar with your PSAT score
• National Merit Scholarship colleges, and more

The National Merit Scholarship is a great starting place for your scholarship search . In fact, most students qualify for this scholarship without even realizing it. As such, it can be a great first step to looking for scholarships for college.

For starters: what is a National Merit Scholarship, and why is it different from other scholarships for college?

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic program that awards scholarships to high-achieving high school students across the nation. The National Merit Scholarship amount is $2,500 for each of the National Merit Scholarship winners. 

National Merit Scholarship requirements are based on a student’s PSAT/NMSQT. Students usually take this exam in their junior year of high school.

Each year, 1.5 million students enter the competition to become National Merit Scholars. Of these students, approximately 7,250 will receive National Merit Scholarships.

You may have heard the phrases “merit scholarship” or “merit-based scholarships” tossed around as you begin your scholarship search. This begs the question: what is a merit-based scholarship?

Unlike need-based scholarships, which are awarded based on demonstrated financial need , merit-based scholarships are awarded based on talent or merit. They can be determined by academic merit—like high GPA —athletic merit, or any category where students have demonstrated excellence. On occasion, a merit scholarship will also take financial need into account, though this is less common.

The National Merit Scholarship is one such merit scholarship, awarded primarily based on PSAT scores. While the National Merit Scholarship is provided by a private, not-for-profit organization, many merit-based scholarships are given out by universities. 

These scholarships vary in size, from a few hundred dollars to the full cost of college tuition . Merit-based scholarships can greatly help to offset the cost of college. 

How do I get merit-based scholarships?

The National Merit Scholarship evaluates prospective National Merit Scholars via multiple elimination rounds. The first round is based solely on PSAT scores, with the highest scorers progressing to the next round of evaluation. A semi-finalist must then meet other academic requirements in order to advance to become a National Merit finalist. 

National Merit Scholarship requirements for finalists entail: 

• Enrollment in the final year of high school, with plans to enroll full-time in college the following fall
• Endorsement from your high school principal
• A record of high academic performance
• A completed National Merit Scholarship Application, including the submission of an essay
• An SAT or ACT score demonstrating continued excellence

The National Merit Scholarship program provides more information about qualifying to become a National Merit Scholar here . 

This is one example of the evaluation process for merit-based scholarships for college. As you continue your scholarship search, you will see different processes unique to each merit scholarship. 

Each merit-based scholarship emphasizes distinct qualities in its applicants. For example,  excellence at an instrument , mastery of an art form, or a high-achieving GPA. Each merit scholarship also involves its own set of requirements. Some selection processes involve essays and other application components while others do not. 

When you research scholarships for college, explore individual academic scholarship requirements, application requirements, and extracurricular requirements for each merit scholarship. This will give you the best odds of winning a merit-based scholarship and offsetting the cost of college. 

You can learn more about identifying and applying for a merit scholarship from this CollegeAdvisor webinar . 

How many National Merit Scholars are there?

If you’re hoping to become a National Merit Scholar, it’s important to know your odds. 

There are several evaluation rounds involved in the selection of National Merit Scholars. The first round is comprised of high school students who submit a PSAT score (and who satisfy the other National Merit Scholarship requirements) via the PSAT/NMSQT exam taken each fall. This usually amounts to approximately 1.5 million entrants submitting PSAT scores. 

After PSAT scores have been calculated, the 50,000 applicants with the highest PSAT scores will qualify for recognition. Of these 50,000 students, 34,000 earn the title of “Commended Student.” However, that means those students will not become National Merit Scholars. The other 16,000, selected as the highest scorers of each state, are semi-finalists for the National Merit Scholarship. 

Around 15,000 of the 16,000 semifinalists will earn the title of “National Merit finalist.” Semifinalists can become National Merit finalists by demonstrating ability, skill, and accomplishment throughout the other National Merit Scholarship requirements. 

A finalist chances of winning

Ultimately, a National Merit finalist has about a 50% chance of being selected as a National Merit scholar. 7,250 finalists will become National Merit Scholars, receiving a National Merit Scholarship amount of $2,500 to help cover the cost of college. See the National Merit Scholarship’s FAQs for advice on progressing from being a National Merit finalist to one of the National Merit Scholarship winners.

Of the 1.5 million applicants who submitted a PSAT score, there are only 7,250 National Merit Scholarship winners. This means you have a 0.5% chance of becoming a National Merit Scholar, making this one of the most competitive merit-based scholarships. 

While only a National Merit Scholar receives the National Merit Scholarship amount of $2,500, even earning the title of National Merit finalist can help you attain other scholarships for college. In fact, many colleges identify as National Merit Scholarship colleges and offer a variety of financial awards to both finalists and scholars. Some of these National Merit Scholarship colleges even grant a full ride to finalists. A full-ride covers the entire cost of college!

What qualifies you to be a National Merit Scholar?

There are multiple rounds of qualifications and eliminations that you must beat to become a National Merit scholar. 

In order to become a semi-finalist, the most important requirement is your PSAT score. The PSAT, taken in your junior year, is the primary component in determining your eligibility as a National Merit Scholar. It’s important to submit strong PSAT scores in order to progress to semi-finalist standing.

Your PSAT scores are evaluated relative to the scores of other entrants in a given year. For this reason, it is very difficult to give cutoffs as to what score you should aim for, as the cutoff will vary from year to year. In addition, you must be one of the top scorers in your state in order to become a semi-finalist. Due to the variable nature of National Merit Scholarships, we recommend simply optimizing your own PSAT score, rather than aiming for a particular PSAT score. 

Aside from your PSAT scores, the National Merit Scholarship winners must show strong overall academic performance, gain an endorsement from their high school principal, and demonstrate various other accomplishments throughout high school.

The National Merit scholarship committee also weighs the following factors for a National Merit finalist: 

• The submission of a strong essay to the National Merit Scholarship application
• An SAT or ACT score consistent with the applicant’s PSAT score

Finally, a successful National Merit Scholar will be enrolled in their final year of high school with plans to attend college the following fall.

Note that prior to achieving semifinalist status, only your PSAT score matters. Once you are a National Merit finalist, other factors—such as your GPA and accomplishments—become relevant factors in determining your eligibility.

Review more tips from U.S. News on submitting a strong application to become a National Merit Scholar.

How do you become a National Merit finalist?

National Merit Scholarships are a fantastic option for offsetting the cost of college. This is especially true considering most high school students already take the PSAT , which is the primary means of determining eligibility for this merit scholarship. As such, it is important to optimize your odds of becoming a National Merit finalist by doing well on the PSAT. 

So, the best way to boost your odds of becoming a National Merit Scholar is to maximize your PSAT score. Wondering how to excel at the PSAT?

Here are some of our top tips:

1. start early.

Standardized testing is a learned skill, and ample evidence suggests that studying for a standardized test is strongly correlated with higher scores. Therefore, the earlier you begin studying, and the more effort you put in, the more successful you will be. 

2. Practice for the PSAT

Familiarize yourself with the contents of the PSAT so that there are no surprises when you take the exam. You should also take advantage of the many practice tests available online. This will give you a sense of your base score, as well as where you have the most room for improvement.

3. Take the exam more than once

In order to be eligible for National Merit Scholarships, you must be in your junior year of high school when you take the PSAT. However, you can, and should, also take the PSAT in your sophomore year to get hands-on experience sitting for the exam. This will not impact your eligibility for the merit scholarship.

Putting in the time now will give you the best odds of becoming a National Merit finalist. And in case National Merit Scholarships aren’t motivation enough, the PSAT score is also a frequent factor amongst other academic scholarship requirements, so putting in the effort now can help you net several scholarships for college. 

Aside from the PSAT score, academic scholarship requirements for the National Merit Scholarship also include having a strong GPA. This matters less in the initial evaluation rounds, but if you hope to progress from being a National Merit finalist to a National Merit scholar, your grades will be a factor. Keep your grades high in order to optimize your chances both for this merit scholarship as well as other scholarships for college.

Merit-based scholarships for high school seniors

As you start the scholarship search, know that there are many more merit-based scholarships available to you outside of just National Merit Scholarships. There are also many resources available to you to inform your scholarship search. 

Organization-Sponsored Merit-Based Scholarships

Forbes provides a list of the most generous and prestigious merit-based scholarships and fellowships for high school seniors. This includes merit-based scholarships for students who:

• Excel in STEM fields or writing
• Volunteer or participate in public service
• Demonstrate academic merit and financial need, and more.

This list is a helpful one to start your scholarship search with. There are also many other assorted merit-based scholarships, including the Doodle for Google merit-based scholarship hosted by Google that awards money to students for submitting doodles for display on Google’s home page.

CollegeAdvisor.com also provides a webinar for finding merit-based scholarships as a domestic student. 

Finally, note that if you qualify as a National Merit finalist but are not selected as a National Merit Scholar, you will still benefit from this merit-based scholarship indirectly. While you will not receive the National Merit Scholarship amount of $2,500, there are many National Merit Scholarship colleges that award aid if you are a National Merit finalist. 

The University of Maine , University of South Florida , University of Alabama , and University of Oklahoma are just a few of several National Merit Scholarship colleges that offer full-ride tuition to any National Merit finalist who is accepted. So, even if you are not a National Merit Scholar, the National Merit Scholarships can still lower your cost of college.

Institution-Sponsored Merit-Based Scholarships

Another option to include in your scholarship search is scholarships for college that are provided by the colleges themselves. USC, for example, offers a generous merit-based scholarship to students who submit their applications by an earlier deadline. USC merit-based scholarships are awarded to about 2% of early applicants and range in award amount from a quarter of tuition to full tuition coverage. 

Vanderbilt also offers a merit-based scholarship for applicants to its Ingram Scholars program, Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship program, and Chancellor’s Scholarship program, among other additional merit-based scholarships. Unlike USC, Vanderbilt’s merit-based scholarships each have their own application process with corresponding supplemental essays. For help writing these essays, see CollegeAdvisor’s Vanderbilt essay guide .

Note that, unlike an organization’s merit-based scholarship, a college merit-based scholarship can only be used at the institution by which they are granted.

As you can see, there are dozens of merit-based scholarships to consider in your scholarship search. A merit-based scholarship is a great way to lower the cost of college, particularly for students who may not qualify for the amount of need-based aid that they require. 

National Merit Scholarship: Five tips for winning!

Becoming a National Merit Scholar is a fantastic way of starting your scholarship search as you prepare to transition to college. In fact, the National Merit Scholarships are one of the lowest-effort scholarships for college, as most high schools organize a school-wide proctoring of the PSAT. As such, we recommend doing whatever you can to optimize your chances of becoming a National Merit finalist. 

Here are our best tips for meeting the academic scholarship requirements of the National Merit Scholarship:

1. take practice tests for the psat.

One of the absolute best ways of optimizing a standardized test score is to study for it ahead of time. Your PSAT score is no different. You can find several practice exams via CollegeBoard and other online resources. Take these practice exams seriously, putting in the time to examine your strengths and weaknesses so that you can prepare as efficiently as possible. This is the best thing you can do to boost your odds of becoming a National Merit Scholar.

2. Optimize your GPA

Your GPA is going to be one of the most important academic scholarship requirements as you apply for scholarships for college. National Merit Scholarships are no different: your GPA is less of a factor than the PSAT scores in the first evaluation round, but if you hope to progress from National Merit finalist to National Merit Scholar, your GPA must be strong. Achieve this by taking challenging classes throughout high school and learning efficient study habits so that you earn high marks. 

3.  Write a great essay

If you are a semifinalist, the National Merit Scholarship selection team will ask you to write a 600-650 word essay as part of the application to become a National Merit Scholar. Most years, the prompt for this essay is broad enough that students can write about almost anything. Spend time thinking about your topic, and ensure that you are putting your best foot forward. The essay should be well-written, free of any mistakes, and should engage the reader. Treat this essay as if you were writing a supplemental essay for a college.

4. Excel on the SAT or ACT

If you are a finalist for the National Merit Scholarship, your SAT or ACT scores will become an additional factor in weighing your application. It’s important to study just as hard for these exams as you did for the PSAT, if not harder. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation will be looking for evidence that you have continued or improved your academic excellence since sitting for the PSAT. There are many, many resources available online to optimize your SAT or ACT scores.

5.  Enrich your life in other areas

If you want to become a National Merit Scholar, you will have to show accomplishment both in and out of the classroom. This can consist of other awards, achievements, and extracurriculars that demonstrate your standing as a well-rounded, high-achieving student. In addition, having more experience in other areas of your life will give you more to write about in your essay. In fact, as you continue your scholarship search, you will see that many scholarships for college are looking not just for academic achievement but also for evidence of strong character and an interesting set of activities beyond the classroom.

National Merit Scholarship- Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are a lot of factors to consider as you pursue the National Merit Scholarship and other scholarships for college. 

We know the National Merit Scholarship amount might not cover the full price of your tuition, but each scholarship you earn takes some of the burden off of the cost of college. We hope this guide will help give you the best possible chance of becoming a National Merit Scholar, and we wish you the best of luck.

This article was written by Becky Weinstein. If you want to get help with your college applications from CollegeAdvisor.com  Admissions Experts ,  register with CollegeAdvisor.com today.   Also, check out our other guides to  Merit-Based Scholarships as you embark on your college application journey!

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.