The prestigious National Merit Scholarship is well worth pursuing. But there's only one starting point to get this famous award. That's taking the PSAT (Preliminary SAT) in October of your junior year of high school. Here's how it works.
Who's Qualified for the National Merit Scholarship?
You must be enrolled as a full-time high school student, be a U.S. citizen (or on your way to being one), and take the PSAT in October of your junior year of high school. If you're already in your senior year of high school it's too late. For more on taking the PSAT, see our article PSAT: One Test, Two Purposes.
Winning a National Merit Scholarship depends on your academic record, PSAT and SAT scores, extracurriculars, leadership, and essay. Recommendations from your school, your school's curricula and grading system, and your resident state are also factors.
Some colleges and private companies also offer scholarships through this program. They have their own criteria for winning. They are worth checking out on the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) website, since these awards are often renewable.
What Do the Winners Get?
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) awards $2,500 for each winner's freshman year of college. (The awards are not renewable in succeeding years of college.) Maybe more importantly, being a winner or finalist impresses college admissions officers.
Narrowing Down the Applicants
Program Recognition Students. In April, after you take the PSAT, the NMSC announces the top 50,000 scorers who are in the running to become semifinalists. If you are one of these Program Recognition Students, your high school will be notified, and you will select two colleges that will be notified at a later date if you become a finalist.
Commended Students. In late September, two thirds of the Program Recognition Students receive Letters of Commendation. Although Commended Students do not continue in the competition for Merit Scholarships, some of these students do become candidates for special scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses.
Semifinalists. At the same time, the NMSC announces the top third of the 50,000 students who are semifinalists. If you are one of these students, you receive the National Merit Scholarship application, along with instructions and requirements. The requirements include keeping up your grades in junior and senior years of high school, doing well on the SAT Reasoning Test, writing a letter describing yourself, and submitting letters of recommendation from adults in your high school who know you well.
Finalists. In February of your senior year, if you have met all the requirements, the NMSC may name you as a finalist. Your high school and the two colleges you named earlier are notified. Reaching this level of recognition is noteworthy.
Winners. Finally, about 7,600 (fewer than half of the semifinalist group) will receive National Merit Scholarships.
Start Early to Get the Recognition You Deserve
As you can see, getting a National Merit Scholarship means starting early and jumping through a lot of academic hoops. Those who earn National Merit Scholarships have really worked for them. They carry a lot of weight in helping you get accepted by the college of your choice. Colleges even boast about the numbers of "Scholars" they enroll. So if you have the opportunity to the take PSAT, get the ball rolling. Find out more at www.nationalmerit.org.
