jlauer95

University of Alabama provides housing (not food) for NMF.

My son has accepted their NMF offer for the fall - he was also accepted into their Computer Based Honors Program (the one that is very hard to get into - they only accept 40 students).

The scholarship does cover the cost of the honors suite (the suites with 4 private rooms) even though those rooms are about $2,000 more each year than traditional dorms. BTW - the honors dorms are awesome - brand new - each student has a private room - unbelievable!

It's too bad that food isn't included too. However, since my son was still eligible to receive a NMF scholarship from my hubby's employer, $2500 per year, that will cover his food - he's chosen the "unlimited food" option since he's still a growing boy - girls probably don't need that much. The reason my son can get both scholarships is because the Alabama one of tuition, board, laptop and study abroad, isn't an official NMF scholarship -- only the part of an additional 1K is - which my son declined so he could get the 2500 per year from h's employer.

We have been very impressed with UA during our visits there. Everyone loves it there and the deans at the three honors colleges are very devoted.

My son got to sit in on a few honors courses -- fine art, calculus, physics, and computer science -- and he thought that the teachers were outstanding. The best profs teach the honors courses. My son LOVED the fine arts course even tho that is not usually "his bag". The students sat around a conference table while learning and discussing. all the honors classes are kept small.

jlauer95

I just wanted to add to the above... U of AL has been trying very hard to improve itself and their efforts are coming to fruition. In previous decades, the state has been frustrated by having its top students go elsewhere. To prevent that from happening, for the last several years, UA has been offering full rides and full tuition scholarships to high achieving students (also generous to high achieving out of staters). That, along with all the new buildings, new honors dorms with private rooms, refurbishment of oldr dorms/classrooms, new student center, new rec center, new eating venues, etc has really paid off.

The school's new tram system will begin this summer. It will provide free transportation throughout the campus and the nearby town -- so having a car is not necessary.

bballpg04

what is the process between semifinalist standing and finalist?

chacha

Most semifinalists become finalists ( I think the number is more that 80%). You need to fill out a short application, send them your SAT scores and I think your school sends in your transcript. Basically, I think think that they want to make sure that you have kept up with your academics and that the PSAT scores were not just some kind of "fluke".

jlauer95

Most SF's become finalists -- something like 90%. If a SF has good grades, does well on a SAT test (over 2000, I think), gets a letter of rec from principal, and fills out the NM paperwork on time (including the short essay) then the student is pretty much a "shoe in" to become a finalist.

The only times I have EVER heard of a SF not becoming a finalist have been when the kids have bad grades, didn't take the SAT or did badly on it, didn't do the paperwork, and/or was a discipline problem at school and couldn't get the rec from principal. Some kids "don't care" about the process since they don't plan on attending a school that may give $$$, so they don't do the paperwork.

( The reason that the kids have to take the SAT by a certain date is so the NM corp will know that the high PSAT wasn't some kind of fluke - or that the high school hasn't engaged in some kind of PSAT "hanky panky" since the PSAT tests are given at a kid's school.) The kid has several chances to take the SAT -- but he has to have it taken by Nov (or Dec - don't remember which) in his senior year. But NM will take the highest sitting score of any SAT taken by that date.

YOU also have to have collegeboard send SAT score(s) to NM corporation. It doesn't "just happen" - so either pay for it, or choose NM corp as one of the "free picks" to have scores sent.

bballpg04

sweet that process between semi and finalist doesnt seem too bad. im am interested in usc does anyone know hom much scholarship they offer for finalists?

jlauer95

USC generally gives 50% scholarships to finalists. A few who also have phenomenal test scores, etc, will get full scholarships.

My nephew was a finalist, with an A+ GPA, difficult curriculum, tons of AP classes, Val at his high-achieving school, but even he only got a 50% offer from USC (where he is today). His SAT was high, but not a perfect or near perfect one - around 2280. His ACT was 33.

bballpg04

jlauer im have about the same resume as your nephew-- 4.0 unweighted gpa, tough courses with lots of AP, number 1 in class of 525 or so, and i just took sat in may (hoping for bout 2200-2300 or so), and hopefully a NMS finalist. i dont really want to pay money to go out of state, so did your nephew get other scholarships to help cover the cost of usc or did he end up paying about 50%?

jlauer95

bball,

He only got the 50% and that was for TUITION ONLY - so his parents are paying for the other 50% (17,600K for tuition) PLUS his room and board (another 12k), plus books, fees, etc. So, his parents are paying about $30+K per year (they're kind of affluent - dad is a partner at a Newport Bch law firm).

What was your PSAT score??? Are you a CA student??? If so, I think their cutoff was 219 last year (up 3 points from previous year).

BTW... there are OOS universities that waive Out Of State (OOS) fees for NMF and/or high SAT/ACT. Also, private universities don't charge OOS students more (since they aren't getting any funding from their own state)


(after I posted this, I noticed that you are from AZ - what is the NMSF cut off for AZ)??

Xellis

University of Tulsa (private) http://www.utulsa.edu/ offers full tuition and room and board to National Merit Finalists who list it as 1st choice.

bballpg04

I got a 217 on the psat and im a junior, so i wont find out until september if im a semi-finalist. ive heard from a lot of people that 217 will make the semi-finalist standing in arizona, esp since AZ isnt that strong in academics and the psat was supposedly harder this year.

Wow so your nephew still has to shell out a lot of money to attend USC even with the NMS scholarship. While my parents probably could afford paying that much a year for college, if I had the choice between paying $30K a year for a USC education as compared to absolutely nothing for the U of A, I would most likely go with the U of A. Do you know of other reputable schools that offer good NMS scholarships? From this thread I've seen schools like Texas and Florida that interest me.

jlauer95

U of FL no longer gives full scholarships to NM finalists - the website just says that it will give a scholarship with no mention of a specific amount. I believe this change was in response to residents complaining that out of state students were taking too many spots.


U of TX (Austin) and TX A&M give some NMF $$$, but they are also no longer full scholarships.

If I were you, I would email their scholarship offices and ask for specific amounts given to NMF and whether OOS fees are waived.

U of OK, U of AZ, AZ ST, U of AL, and the others that have been mentioned give full rides (or very close to it - such U of AL which provides, tuition, room, laptop, and study abroad $$, plus a 1K per year but doesn't pay for food.
I know that U of OK gives almost a full ride for OOS, but you still have to pay a small amount each year, etc.)

I would suggest that you ask your parents specifically how much they can afford each year -- you may or may not be surprised by their answer. I know that my own son overstated (in his mind) how much we could afford (he conveniently "forgot" that we'd have two in college at the same time and our EFC is high.)

bballpg04

Ok thanks a lot for the info jlauer I really appreciate it! one more question--if i do get to be a national merit finalist will prospective schools send me information about scholarship money or is it mostly up to me to research which schools offer good scholarship packages for NMS finalists?

rainmama

U of Texas Austin seems to offer in-state tuition to NMS finalists. Penn State has a well-regarded honors program, and I hear they have good NMS benefits. ASU and U of A are both among the best schools with the best merit aid for National Merit thought. Have you looked at ASU's Barrett Honors College? It's nearly free, and seems like an excellent program if you are willing to go to a huge state university.

I don't know if they will come find you, so I would definitely do some looking. Somewhere on this forum there is a link to a list of good NMS schools.

Xellis

bball, I think all these schools only give you the money if you select them as your top choice college through the National Merit Corporation so you'd probably need to research to find which one you'd like to pick.