<p>Is USC still doing the $1000/year scholarship for National Merit Finalists who put USC as their first choice this year? </p>
<p>Is there any official information online about this or were we supposed to receive any information about this? </p>
<p>And does that mean I have to opt out of the one time $2500 scholarship since one can only receive one type of National Merit award (either college sponsored, corporate sponsored, or $2500 right?)?</p>
<p>Joseph, This has been explained over and over on this board. Use the search function to help you . I think a long thread about this is about two or three pages back.</p>
<p>Quick fact–NMScholars admitted to USC receive a half tuition scholarship given by USC.</p>
<p>NMS who put USC first and notify the NMFoundation and enroll will receive a $1,000 per year scholarship. </p>
<p>Students must take 16 units per semester and maintain a 3.00 or better average.</p>
<p>Yeah, I got $1000 peryear from NMS and they reduce the University scholarship from
$3750 to $2000 peryear.</p>
<p>lsng,</p>
<pre><code>Think about this…
Projected over four years SC is giving you $87,444 for your half tuition scholarship. It rises if tuition rises. On top of that you will receive a university scholarship of $8,000. That is $95,444 with the strong possibilty of that rising. NMFoundation is giving you $4,000.
If your grades are stellar there are many more scholarships for continuting students available on a competitive basis. You can apply. Some are for academic achievement and a few for leadership.
The above figures are not from the government. The funds come out of the university’s budget from private sources. To give you $95,444 on merit SC must raise that amount from alumni or friends of the university.
</code></pre>
<p>I called both the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and USC and both said that they’re not doing this scholarship, or at least I’m not receiving it?</p>
<p>josephsmith, can you be more specific? What scholarship are they not “doing”? Are you NMF and listed USC as your first choice? If this is true and there has been a change in policy, it will affect many people reading this board. If it’s a mistake, you may be inadvertently spreading disturbing news without many details. Thx.</p>
<p>the $1000/year for having USC as first choice and I am indeed a NMF and have put USC as my first choice.
the financial aid officer i talked to made it seem like the half tuition national merit presidential scholarship was the only one you get</p>
<p>js, others report already seeing this $1000 ($500/semester) show up on their FinAid statement this year.</p>
<p>hmmm that’s strange
i guess i’ll call back tomorrow >:|
idk why they’d tell me otherwise</p>
<p><a href=“http://nationalmerit.org/Merit_About_Leaflet.pdf[/url]”>http://nationalmerit.org/Merit_About_Leaflet.pdf</a></p>
<p>From page 3 (note: the emphasis is theirs, not mine):</p>
<p>*To be considered for a college-sponsored award, a Finalist must meet all
three of the following conditions. The Finalist:
- must have notified NMSC that the sponsor college is his or her first choice;
- must have applied for admission to that institution; and
- must not have been offered any other National Merit Scholarship.*</p>
<p>Also, please note that this is in reference to the $1000/year (USC) college-sponsored award offered thru NMSC, not the half-tuition award which is not administered by NMSC.</p>
<p>I am not sure whether there is anything that can be done to prevent NMSC from offering a student the $2500 award or a corporate award that amounts to less than $4000 over 4 years.</p>
<p>My assumption is that this is what is applying in your situation josephsmith. NMSC needs to improve this process to make sure that candidates receive the highest possible award for which they qualify.</p>
<p>I’ve tried searching on other threads, but couldn’t find an answer, so I’ll ask here: Is the additional $1000/year scholarship from USC NMF Presidential guaranteed to all NM Finalists who claim USC as his/her first choice? Or is it only available for NM Scholars?</p>
<p>As of right now, I am a NMF who claimed USC as my first choice, so I know I will be getting the Half-Tuition Presidential. Would I also receive the $1000/year scholarship?</p>
<p>If you are receiving the half tuition presidential because of national merit, then you will receive $1000 from USC each year. To get the half tuition already requires you to put down USC as your first choice. You will NOT receive the $2500 from the NMSF.</p>
<p>OP needs to meet the dates stated by NMS to qualify for the half tuition scholarship. Check the NMS site for the date and call them to make sure your paperwork was in on time.</p>
<p>In my son’s FinAid award letter, included was the $500/semester award for being NMF. He did name USC his #1 choice. Also included was the University Scholarship, $1000/semester.</p>
<p>My S2 is a Trustee/Stamps scholar. He was also additionally awarded $1000/year NMF scholarship. This was all posted on his USConnect FA award page. But… He was chosen as a NM Scholarship winner of $2500 corporate award. When USC got notice of the award they changed his $1000/year award to a one-year $2500 award. So, feeling like he got “cheated” out of $1500, I called FA office. They said if you are awarded the $2500 scholy you have to take it and therefore forfeit the USC award of $4000. They said NMSC demands this via some sort of rule or contract. I asked if we could decline the award and they said if we did that it would be like forfeiting the entire Finalist status and thus USC wouldn’t award anything. So just to be clear, I asked, " so you mean by winning the scholarship from NMSC we have to receive $1500 less award than if S2 was not a scholy winner?" FA office said,“yes.” Doesn’t seem like the right or fair way to me. (We are grateful for the full-tuition scholy, but that wasn’t the point)</p>
<p>Take up your issue with the NMSF people then. It’s not USC’s fault that they require you to take the corporate scholarships.</p>
<p>9help9–wait. So instead of getting $4000 over 4 years from USC, you are getting $2500 onetime from NMF & $2500 onetime from USC. Seems your S comes out $1000 ahead in this equation. Or am I missing something? Hope it turns out I’m right because it would reward your son further rather than ding him.</p>
<p>Madbean,
He’s just getting the $2500 from NMSC. This award replaces the $1,000/ year award from USC.</p>
<p>Hawkwing, I never said anything was USC’s fault. Merely stating the facts regarding conversation with FA office for the benefit of readers.</p>
<p>The fact of the matter is if a student is a NMF and going to USC, they will benefit more by not being awarded the NM Scholarship. $4,000 vs. $2500.</p>
<p>Are you positive 9help9? I’m surprised that corporate NMF would show up on USC’s finAid page so quickly. But I could be wrong. Sorry if so.</p>
<p>Did your S get any other merit awards–like perhaps a University scholarship? Perhaps you could call FA again and make sure you are speaking to his FA counselor. Then inquire if there is any $$ still to be given in University scholarships…? You might sweetly mention that it has come as a sad surprise that S’s winning the NMF corporate will actually cost him $1500 that the family really needs. Apologies if this has already been tried. </p>
<p>Lastly, there are departmental merit awards for continuing students that he will be eligible for. </p>
<p>Sorry again if I misunderstood.</p>