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If I am a commended student, do I have to put it under my awards? I have other awards to put and I dont want to put this in if they receive information that I am already. Do they receive any form of information if I am a National Merit Commended Student? If so, then I can skip it and write another award, right?

By Sadeyedlady (Sadeyedlady) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 08:05 pm: Edit

your counselor might mention it.

and i think they do receive some kind of info about it, because some colleges sent me things saying "congratulations on being a commended student"

By Influx (Influx) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 08:45 pm: Edit

alright, thanks, can anybody else confirm?

By Patient (Patient) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 09:09 pm: Edit

I would put it in unless you feel that you have no more space, and more important awards to write down. I don't believe that it appears on transcripts and I rather doubt that the counselor would necessarily think to mention it.

By Mzhang23 (Mzhang23) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 09:11 pm: Edit

No, put it down because Adcoms will probably not know that. Never assume the adcoms know something about you, especially regarding national merit.

By Sadeyedlady (Sadeyedlady) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 10:06 pm: Edit

definitely put it down

but i do think they know otherwise why would they have sent the mail?

By Lhm501 (Lhm501) on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 10:22 pm: Edit

Because the marketing department is not the same as the admission office. Those are form letters are sent to lists of National Merit qualifiers--they buy the lists. They are not personal and are not attached to your "file". You must put it on your app.

By Bub (Bub) on Friday, January 02, 2004 - 06:02 pm: Edit

Kind of stupid question: is national merit semifinalist only a state award? since they have different cut-offs for each state, it would make sense. But then commended scholar would have to be national, and it's weird if commended is national but semifinalist is only state. I know colleges don't even care to what degree an award is recognized, especially if it's so well known, but I was just wondering...

By Tkdgal (Tkdgal) on Friday, January 02, 2004 - 10:13 pm: Edit

Everyone with an index over 200 is commended, I believe - whether in Mass. with its 220 cutoff or a state with a 207 cutoff.

By Libsters (Libsters) on Friday, January 02, 2004 - 10:20 pm: Edit

It only turns out that everyone over 200 is commended b/c that is the cut-off in the highest state .... but Commended AND Semi-finalist are ALL DONE according to the state in which you live!It has NOTHING to do with national ...This is why it is harder to be commended or getsemi - finalist in MA then in Kansas ( No offense if someone lives in Kansas) ...
Thedad --- I believe Mass's cutoff for this past year was 222 for semi-finalist, not 220 = )

By Smiley (Smiley) on Friday, January 02, 2004 - 10:57 pm: Edit

Not a direct answer, but I've never really seen why colleges would care too much about national merit semifinalist or commended. (Not saying it's not a good thing, but I think that other awards would probably be more significant). As I see it, both of those awards just say you had a high PSAT score in 11th grade... nothing about character, achievement, ecs, etc. Colleges already have your SAT scores from junior or senior year. Not sure what NM awards add. (I did list it... just wondering aloud) Good luck!

By Alv (Alv) on Saturday, January 03, 2004 - 12:08 am: Edit

I agree with Smiley. I am a commended scholar too, but I did not dwell on it because so are 34000 other people.