<p>Re: need versus merit. We did not qualify for need. Son still was offered and is receiving from NU the $2K per year NMF award. Of course, this is one situation; I can’t speak for all. FWIW, he was not offered the 2.5K blank check highest NMF award, so I don’t know what would have happened if he had. For us, it took a phone call to NU to make things clear regarding their 2K award for NMFs. My opinion is that the stuff online and in the paperwork from National Merit itself is not worded clearly, otherwise we wouldn’t have so many CCers saying year after year after year, “Should I list Yale as one of my NMF schools?”</p>