If before March 1, a NMF selects a university as his first choice, then sometime towards the end of March that university decides to give him a scholarship and sponsor him, can the student then, before April 30, change his first choice to another school who also offered him a national merit scholarship?
I’m curious to find out what does a university do with the list of first choice NMF they get from the NMSC before April 30. Are they able to lock the finalist so that the individual is no longer able to get another university to sponsor his scholarship?
Okay let me be more specific since this is a bit complicated. There is University #1 and University #2. University #2 accepted the NMF, offered him a guaranteed scholarship, and told him he has until May 1 to select University #2 as his first choice in order to receive that scholarship.
University #1 also accepted the NMF, however they told the NMF they only give about 10 scholarships to NMF, and select those 10 from the first batch they get from the NMSC right after March 1 (so it’s a combination of selection and first-come, first-serve). They also said that if the NMF contacts them towards the end of March, they can let them know if they got this special scholarship or not.
Question: Suppose the NMF gets the scholarship from University #1. Or suppose he does not. In either case, come mid April, suppose the NMF wants to switch his first choice from University #1 to University #2. Can he do that and still receive the scholarship from University #2?
UCF - If you advance to become a National Merit Finalist and you designate UCF as your first choice” with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation by the May 31 deadline, you can be considered for an increased UCF scholarship. But I know from reading on the thread here they have a limited amount they give. And they note you can be “considered” - so that’s a risk. I think Fordham and others give to some but not all.
U of Alabama is different. Their language - and note the date is earlier: students must provide a copy of their official National Merit Finalist letter via email to scholarships@ua.edu and list The University of Alabama as their college of choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation before May 1, 2024. The reason it’s different is - you’re not being considered for it. Upon admission, you are assured it: If admitted, students who are eligible for the National Merit Finalist package will receive.
If it were me, I’d reach out to the school that doesn’t assure but has awarded you (if not assured, they may not have awarded you) - and I’d flat out ask. If in this case, you are with UCF but Alabama may end up your choice, it makes sense to stay with UCF until you’re sure - because if you drop them early, you may not get them back.
If you’re with Bama now, removing them and adding them back later wouldn’t hurt.
In the end, it’s great to ask the schools - but obviously if it’s a “maybe” but it’s not come in yet, then you don’t want to let them know you’re thinking about alternatives.
Alabama is probably a good proxy for University #2 in my example. However UCF is not a perfect proxy because my understanding is that they are strictly first-come, first-serve, with no selection involved. And the date that matters to UCF is not when they get the first batch from the NMSC but rather the date the student applied to UCF. So that as UCF gets lists from the NMSC, they select the first 40 based on the date they received applications from the students.
But for the sake of the example, lets select UCF as a proxy for University #1. Let’s say the NMF selects UCF as his first choice in February. Then, in March, the NMF call up UCF and they inform him that indeed he made it to the first 40 and got the wonderful scholarship. However, in mid-April the NMF changes their mind and decides to make Alabama their first-choice instead. Can the NMF still get the full ride at Alabama?
And yes, I did reach out to University #1. They told me that if I called them in late March, they can let me know if the NMF was selected to the scholarship or not, and then we can decide what to do.
The student in my example is indeed a NMF. I believe any NMSF could have checked his or her status starting last Monday on the NMSC web site, and they all made it, unless they were told different three weeks ago.
Yes, the way you said it is the way I read it too. I was just wondering if, upon receiving a list of students that selected a university as a first-choice, that university is somehow able to lock or “claim” the student before the May 1 date, perhaps by somehow committing to sponsoring that student with the NMSC.
It appears this is the key language in the “Requirements and Instructions for Semifinalists in the 2024 National Merit® Scholarship Program:”
“NMSC will not process any college change requests for a Finalist once a college-sponsored Merit Scholarship offer has been posted to their OSA dashboard. […] Finalists who are uncertain of their current college choice may change it to “undecided” to prevent an offer for a school they may not attend. Such notification must be submitted online at osa.nationalmerit.org before May 1.”
This language appears to imply a NMF can change their choice from University #1 to University #2 anytime before May 1. It is implied in the language, if not clearly stated, that merit scholarships are posted on the NMSC web site May 1 and therefore the finalist can change his or her choice up until then.
When I first read this publication I erroneously read “to prevent an offer FROM a school they may not attend” instead of the stated text “to prevent an offer FOR a school they may not attend.” It is the NMSC that is making the offer, not the school. The school is the sponsor. Therefore, the NMSC does not need to check first with the school to make sure the student qualifies for the sponsored award (the smaller award of $500 per year or whatever). They already know the student (if admitted) qualifies because the school is a sponsor.
And once the student is formally noted by the NMSC has having been sponsored by a particular school for the small award, then the school will follow up with the larger associated award, which could be anything the university has offered the student, even up to a full ride. But that larger award is unrelated to the NMSC and simply an additional incentive for the student to select the school.
If anyone knows different or believes my assessment is in error, please let me know.
So your student is getting comfortable with alternatives to I think it was UGA ?
Yes. Unless UGA comes back with in-state tuition, which they could still do, UGA is not in the running. I’m disappointed that the criteria UGA uses to award scholarships is completely opposite from the criteria they use to accept students, as stated in their published common data set. In particular, I am referring to the importance they attribute to extracurriculars. But that is a subject for another discussion.
The good news is - there’s a ton of substitute schools. They may not be ranked as high or as selective but the truth is, they are substitutional, with many students who share common attributes.
Wherever he ends up, he’ll have great opportunity - and hopefully the family avoids financial strain (which I’m sure you will).
I think any school that offers a non-guaranteed large scholarship to NMF is probably a good proxy for University #1. My feeling is that if such a school, assuming the student gets the scholarship, is the student’s top choice, then the student should select it as first-choice before March 1.
If the student later finds out they were not offered the larger scholarship, they can always change their first choice to a university where the large scholarship is guaranteed, such as TAMU, FSU, USF, Alabama, Tulsa, etc.
The key is to make the change as early in April as possible, then double check with the NMSC and possibly University #2, to make absolutely sure the change was made effective.
We left the first choice as undetermined, so we could select it later and not have to change it (did that with both kids). Was no problem, though it was a while ago.
So the question would be - I think - would a BU, Fordham as an example, name you a winner if you were listed as undecided? Or do they only give the money after March 1 (as an example, the date you listed above) from those who named them the top choice?
This is the scary part for any parent - if any flexibility is removed from the student. Shame on the schools but they are businesses. I suppose if they end up not awarding you $$ you need or desire, it’s easy to say goodbye.
I do think many parents/families with large financial need or tight spending goals ultimately will choose a “flexible” school. And then if it were BU, you may have need as well - so more may come anyway as they guarantee to meet need. I don’t know if you have need or not - I just know you have a limited budget (hence the UGA top choice situation).
But to your point, if you can do so - but yes, you need administrative/bureaucratic help.
I’d suggest reaching out if possible to national merit this week - just to confirm/test your theory.
