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What do you have to get on the PSAT to be national merit scholar? Approximately what should you score and what percentile should you be in?

By Chewieshooie (Chewieshooie) on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 - 08:29 pm: Edit

The score depends on the state really. I live in GA (yes, its the state w/ the lowest SAT score) so my 217/240 got me semifinalist position. We haven't found out finalist position yet.

I think you definitely need to be in the 99% though

By Polka (Polka) on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 - 09:20 pm: Edit

are finalists announced in feb?

By Muzicgal04 (Muzicgal04) on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 - 09:36 pm: Edit

no, finalists arent announced until may of your senior year

By Ali_Liu (Ali_Liu) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 01:53 pm: Edit

I am Canadian..no NM for me...

By Smiley (Smiley) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 06:17 pm: Edit

i think Feb is right

By Ndhawk (Ndhawk) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 07:02 pm: Edit

I'm pretty sure it's february for finalists. I had a 214 and barely made it. 214's the cutoff for GA. GA is bottom of the barrel though. Most other states have cutoffs of like 215-225.

By Perry2006 (Perry2006) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 09:17 pm: Edit

hehe so many ppl. from GA. I am from Augusta, what about u guys? I am only a sophomore though so I have to wait until next year. *sigh*

By Soccerguy315 (Soccerguy315) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 09:48 pm: Edit

the finalist cut off is usually around 220

By Smiley (Smiley) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 11:19 pm: Edit

There is no finalist cutoff. PSAT scores only matter to make it over the bar for "semifinalist." Almost everyone who completes the forms and has SAT scores corroberating PSAT scores makes finalist (15,000 of the 16,000 semifinalists)

By Mazzystar (Mazzystar) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 11:54 pm: Edit

Georgia is not the one with the lowest.

Last year, Kentucky's was 210.

Beat that

By Perry2006 (Perry2006) on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 12:27 am: Edit

Indeed, although GA has one of the lowest SAT averages in the nation, it also has some of the extremely talented kids such as those who got into USAMO and RSI; plus it has sent many kids to Ivy League every year.

By Vegangirl (Vegangirl) on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 12:34 am: Edit

mazzy, i see your 210 and i match it.

(i think 210 was colorado's cut off last year too)

By Juliathorne (Juliathorne) on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 - 04:28 pm: Edit

alright I got both of your 210's beat with the 208 cutoff of Louisiana

By Madameinsanity (Madameinsanity) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 05:07 pm: Edit

208?? dang. I gotta 214, and what was Illinois' cutoff?? 214!! Aw yeah!! And i found out about being a SF on my birthday!! Double cool.

By Ughstinkysocks (Ughstinkysocks) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 03:24 pm: Edit

hey perry wat school in augusta... im from there too

By Jenny2150 (Jenny2150) on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 - 08:43 pm: Edit

hello im a freshman and i got a 201 and i was just wondering about this national merit thing