National Merit Scholarships

alamemom
Fri, 11 Oct 2013 20:13:45 +0000

As madbean says, no need to list your first-choice now - you can put “undecided” on your NMSF application for now. The deadline to name your first-choice for USC’s purposes is May. For schools that offer NM Corp administered awards, you may need to list by March 1st (see info here: http://www.nationalmerit.org/Merit_R&I_Leaflet.pdf ).

I also definitely want to be considered for full-tuition scholarships at USC as well, and I don’t think these scholarships are way outside my reach (I have 4.0 gpa, 2400 sat, etc…) I’m wondering if USC might be more likely to just give me the half-tuition national merit scholarship if I put them down as my first choice rather than seriously consider me for the full scholarships?

No need to worry. The selection for USC scholarship interviewees for the full and half-tuition awards* is made by mid-January, which is BEFORE colleges and universities are informed of NM status of potential students. Every year there are several applicants who are later named NMS selected to interview for those scholarships**.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

*There is no interview for the NMS 1/2 tuition scholarship, so even if you are not invited to interview if you are accepted and name USC as your first-choice by the deadline, you will receive the NMS 1/2 tuition award at USC.

**A candidate will only be awarded ONE of the top scholarships (Trustee/Mork/Stamps, Presidential, NMS Presidential or Dean’s 1/4 tuition). So if you interview and are awarded a Trustee/Mork/Stamps, you will NOT get the NMS Presidential. If you interview and are awarded a 1/2 tuition Presidential, the NMS Presidential will be more advantageous as it includes an extra $1,000/year and (assuming you are accepted and name USC by the deadline) USC will award the more advantageous scholarship. When you receive your NMS official notification simply fax it in as it sometimes takes some time for the schools to find out about your NMS status.

MOST IMPORTANT NOTE: NMF/NMS are not - NOT - guaranteed admission nor are they necessarily invited to interview for the big scholarships. There have been some very disappointed and bitter applicants/parents who assumed that NMF/NMS status meant they would automatically be accepted and/or automatically receive a scholarship interview invitation.

Hope this helps. Good luck!!!