NMF scholarship at Stanford

typiCAmom · March 31

Since like many others DD didn’t expect to be admitted to Stanford, she chose USC as her number one choice school for NMF back in January. Her USC financial aid letter shows both half-tuition scholarship that USC gives automatically to NMFs and a $1,000 NMSC scholarship. From what I understand, students at USC have a choice of either accepting a one-time payment of $2,500 or four yearly payments of $1,000 for a total of $4,000.

What I am confused about is whether the above NMSC disbursement is unique to USC or something like this happens at Stanford, too. Of course, a D’s financial aid letter made no mention of the NMSC. Other than changing first choice school to Stanford at the NM portal, is there anything more left to be done?

Also, how will NMSC be distributed if D takes a gap year?

Thanks in advance!

mountainhiker · March 31

Our son was a NMF, and is a current Junior at Stanford. When he enrolled, Stanford did not provide any NMSC award at all. Not sure if that’s changed, but I don’t think it has.

typiCAmom · April 1

@mountainhiker, thanks for replying. So did your son got that $2,500 award directly from the NM Foundation? Thanks!

Suave123 · April 2

@typiCAmom nope, we don’t get any money from NMSC. We also asked the FA when our daughter got admitted last year and we went in person to check with them and they said they don’t handle any outside merit scholarship money. We need to check on our own if any external party is giving us scholarships. It’s the same case with UCs too, NMSC doesn’t offer any scholarship even if we get admitted to UCs.

typiCAmom · April 2

@Suave123, thank you, that’s useful. So did you contact the NM to disburse the $2,500 to Stanford? When did you do it, right away in the spring, or did you wait till the fall? Thanks!

Suave123 · April 3

No, we didn't contact NM, you just list Stanford as the first choice, and if it is in their list, the money will automatically be distributed. But sad that Stanford is not the one among their list. I believe most of the Ivy colleges also are not in their list. Only UChicago is there, which I'm sure as my friends' kids are receiving the $2500.

typiCAmom · April 3

@Suave123, ok, so even though D won the scholarship, she won’t receive it since she is going to Stanford? Sad

. But thanks for letting me know!

Hoggirl · April 5

@typiCAmom - did your daughter win the one-time $2,500 scholarship from the National Merit Corporation itself? Such that she has now been named a National Merit Scholar?

If so, and she chooses to attend Stanford, she will need to list Stanford as her first choice school by May 1. She will, indeed, receive the scholarship, but the money will be paid directly to Stanford. For our son (who graduated from Stanford two years ago), that $2,500 was spread out evenly over each quarter - so about $833 was applied to each quarter of his freshman year bill.
The National Merit Corporation sends the funds to whatever school your child selects as their top choice.

It’s been several years since our son received this award, but I do remember his having to notify the National Merit Corporation that he did indeed want to accept it from them. I remember this because he almost failed to do this step! IF memory serves me correctly, the choice to accept or decline the offer from the National Merit Corp had to be done sometime prior to May 1?? I think there are some schools (or at least there were at the time that would not give you *their* National Merit award if you had already received one from another source. Don’t quite remember though. Just make sure you pay attention to any and all correspondence from National Merit and check off all the necessary boxes.

Suave123 · April 5

Oh I forgot that u need to win the $2500 scholarship even after being named as NMF. I remember my daughter received a mail from NMSC that she is indeed a NMF but did not win the money. I guess out of 15000 NMFs only half of them are given the scholarship money. But she was given the half tuition scholarship at USC due to her NMF status..

MamaFx3 · April 5

@typiCAmom Did you D receive notice on the NMSC portal (and/or an email) that they were awarded the $2500 scholarship?
If she did, she can use that towards Stanford.

Otherwise, unless Stanford is a sponsoring college, like USC, she will not receive anything if she chooses to go to Stanford.
So envious, BTW, congratulations to your daughter!

typiCAmom · April 5

@MamaFx3, @Suave123, yes, D received the $2,500 scholarship notification. She changed the 1st choice college designation from USC to Stanford - does she need to do anything else? Will the NM send the scholarship to Stanford directly automatically or do we need to ask for disbursement, etc? Thanks!

typiCAmom · April 5

@Hoggirl, oops, sorry I missed your post. Very helpful, thank you! I am still a bit confused because D is still planning on taking a gap year for a language study program abroad. Her AO recommended she enrolls at Stanford now, but requests the gap year once she has everything confirmed 100% (late August). Do you by chance know if taking a gap year automatically forfeits the scholarship? Thanks so much!

Hoggirl · April 5

I have no idea. I would contact both the National Merit Corporation and Stanford. You can’t be the only person who has ever been in this position.

Good luck!

hkong3er · April 23

I checked via NMSC log in. You can only defer the $2500 scholarship if you take a gap year. You have to contact NMSC (also choose Stanford as the college to go). I think you also have to accept Stanford in order to defer as well. Hope this help. My son is a recipient of the $2500 scholarship. He is offerred the 1/2 tuition Presidential Scholarship from USC as well (plus the NMS USC $1000 scholarship). Both USC and NMSC scholarship were offered to him as he chose USC a while back as his first choice. But you will receive only one of the NMS scholarships eventually. So for us the check for $2500 will be sent to Stanford directly.

NMF scholarship at Stanford

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