DD most likely NMS for next year based on her 2024 PSAT. We have been looking at colleges and want to take advantage of the FR options available.
So say she applies this fall to UCF and Alabama and gets accepted to both. Then we have to put one of those down as first choice… when do they go over the National Merit perks they are able to give to you? Will I be able to see the total package before we put down our number 1 choice? Alabama is pretty transparent but some of the other schools are hard to read.
Also I also wondered if your kiddos applied anywhere and got unexpected merit at any other universities that aren’t published etc. We won’t qualify for need so just looking at merit.
Bama lists the package here - they are very clear. Whether it’s the same next year or not, you’ll see before you apply. Bama merit is - you get it - there’s no “some” get it.
I put UCF down below too but theirs is not automatic.
btw - in case you’re unaware - I put Tulsa too as it’s a full ride for semi finalist - at least today and they state they have the highest concentration of NM - over 25% of students. It’s an automatic too.
But there are more freebies too - like U Houston, etc.
Of course, next year, you’ll have to monitor to see what they’re offering.
The NMF award schools will give you the details for the award after they admit your child and send the merit and FA award. You can change your first choice with NMSC anytime before May 1, even if a school has awarded your child a NMF scholarship before that. I spoke to NMSC when we went through this in 2022. They confirmed that the school’s scholarship, such as BU’s half tuition offer or USC’s, does not trigger the first choice lock. It was the awarding of the $500 NMF college sponsored scholarship that triggers the lock. NMSC does not process that offer until May. From what NMSC told me, as long as he changed his choice before May, he would be able to receive the NM scholarship from a different school. On May 1, they look at a student’s account and only process offers at that time if a school offer matches with a student’s first choice. They do not process offers as they are received. But go ahead and call NMSC in case anything has changed. They are super helpful.
My son didn’t apply to any of the schools with an earlier deadline. He left the first choice blank until late April when he made it Alabama. I agree with vistajay that the people on the phone at NM are really helpful.
UCF will go over the perks once NMSF is confirmed. You can email and request a personal golf cart tour and meet with the various departments for your major(s), Honors College, meeting to review the scholarship in depth, visit a dorm, whatever else you want to see. The schedule fills up so call or email mid-September. They are all personal tours. It was a flat $20,000 amount per year, for four years, with instate tuition for fall/spring semesters for 4 years. But the website mentions $25,000 per year so maybe they increased it?
30 credits would cost about $6400 a year, on campus housing from $6500-$10000 depending on the dorm selected. Meal plans are not mandatory and most kids cook and do their own thing. The balance of the money is refunded to your kids bank account. On campus housing is guaranteed and NMFs have the earliest time slots to select their rooms.
Alabama has no limits on their nmf scholarships, so no need to put down a deposit right away. However UCF this year only offered 30 OOS NMF scholarships and they offer them in the order acceptance/deposits were received and if they are listed as first choice. So they would be better to put first choice.
Choices can be changed later, until May 1 I believe.
Thanks for the information.
I saw that UCF only gives out 30- and thought it might be in order of acceptance so we wanted to be quicker on this one if we knew this is where it was at. We are going to try and go this spring and figure out what school we want to attend now, so she can look at what dual credits and APs and things will transfer a bit better to whatever university she plans to attend.
Thank you all for answering! I appreciate your help.
)