<p>S received the same letter yesterday and I almost got a heart attack. Incidentally the school he chose as his first choice is Rice as well. However, after reading it again it looks like the April 7 deadline is to accept or decline the scholarship. The recipient can change the first choice later. </p>
<p>BTW, in our case Rice is very high on the list and S received a nice merit scholarship from them that makes it the most affordable choice so far. He is in the running for a full ride at another college. If he gets the full ride and decides to go there, losing $2500 won’t matter. But there are 1-2 other options that we are considering. These schools are not participating in NMSC and that is why he didn’t put them as a first choice. Anyway here is what the letter says, and I hope that I understand it correctly and it means that the first choice and be changed later than April 7th. </p>
<p>“Congratulations! You have been selected as the winner of a National Merit $2500 Scholarship.</p>
<p>The Scholarship is offered for your use at Rice University, which you reported to National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) as your choice, and you are responsible for making all arrangements for admission. Subject to the conditions explained in Term 4, this Scholarship may be used at another institution: however, if you change the college or university you attend, you must report the change to NMSC as soon as your college plans are firm.</p>
<p>Read carefully all Terms of the Scholarship. Then complete, sign and return …… (etc)”</p>
<p>Term 4 says that the student must enroll into college in the fall of 2011 and it can’t be an online college, etc.
The second page is the reply form and has “I accept” and “I decline” check boxes. This form has to be returned by 4/7/2011, but at the bottom it says:</p>
<p>“I have signed and dated my reply to this scholarship offer. In addition, I have provided a probable career field to be used in NMSC’s public announcement of scholarship winners. Once my college plans are firm, I will report to NMSC any change in the college or university to be attended”</p>