National Merit Scholarship - SAT scores?

Hi everyone, I'd really love to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship. Does anyone know what range of SAT scores typically qualify for the scholarship? Thank you so much for your help!

Hi! To clarify, the National Merit Scholarship Program actually uses the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) scores, rather than SAT scores, to determine the eligibility of students for the scholarship. The PSAT/NMSQT serves as the initial screening for the program, and when you take it in your junior year of high school, you're automatically considered for the National Merit Scholarship.

The qualifying scores for the National Merit Scholarship vary each year and depend on the state in which you reside. Each state has its own cutoff score, which changes annually based on the top 1% of test-takers in that state. You'll want to aim for a high score on the PSAT/NMSQT to increase your chances of becoming a National Merit Semifinalist. To estimate what score might qualify, you can search for historical cutoff scores by state. However, you should still aim to score as high as possible, given that the cutoffs can change.

Remember, becoming a National Merit Semifinalist is only the first step in receiving the scholarship. Semifinalists must then submit an application, which includes information about their academic record, extracurricular activities, and leadership, as well as an essay and a recommendation from a school official. About 15,000 students from the Semifinalist group (around 16,000 students) advance to the Finalist stage, and about 7,500 of those students receive a National Merit Scholarship, which comes in various forms and amounts.

To prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT, you can use resources like the College Board's Bluebook™ app, which allows you to preview the digital PSAT/NMSQT and take a full-length practice test. Good luck, and I hope this information helps!