<p>My daughter is a finalist for both the National Merit and National Achievement Programs. Just when I thought I finally figured out the strategy of notification of first choice college for the National Merit Program, the National Achievement folks called and left a message said my daughter must list a tenative first choice college within the next couple days, or they won’t be able to consider her for a $2,500 National Achievement scholarship. (I think they are talking about one of the National Merit Scholarship Corps. one time $2,500 awards for the National Achievement Program.) </p>
<p>My daughter planned on listing undecided for the National Merit scholarships until she makes her final decision after hearing whether or not she is accepted into some selective programs which happen to be at schools with either full-tuition or half-tuition national merit scholarships (probably April 1 notification). But if she does not go to one of these schools and instead goes to a school with no merit aid, then the one-time $2500 National Achievement Scholarship from the National Merit Corp would be nice. The phone message from National Achievement made it sound like we have only a few days to list a tenative college choice or forfeit the possibility of a $2500 award.</p>
<p>But I think I remember reading somewhere that you can only have a scholarship from one–either National Merit or National Achievement. Is that true? And does the notification of tenative college choice for one program affect the other program? Also, this week she has interviews at 2 of the colleges that give big National Merit Awards (but probably not National Achievement), so would listing a strategic 1st choice college other than these be a disadvantage, because I would think they might ask her if she has listed them #1.</p>
<p>I’m very confused. Is it best to just jeapardize the $2,500 National Achievement scholarship, and focus on what is best to get a bigger National Merit Scholarship from a college?</p>