<p>If your goal is to obtain a NM Scholarship from your college (vs. Corporate or NM itself) then you have time to list your first choice after you get acceptance letters in the spring. My daughter did this after she decided which college to attend and sent in her choice at the same time she decided on a college (prior to May 1) for college sponsored scholarships. You can change your first choice at any time BUT once you are awarded a scholarship you CANNOT change your choice. My daughter ended up changing her first choice to undecided in order to wait for acceptance letters and leave her options open. This is from the National Merit Website</p>
<p>March 1 through May 31, 2010: A Finalist who has reported a sponsor college as first choice by March 1 will be included in the first group referred to that institution for scholarship consideration.
Periodically NMSC will notify sponsors of additional Finalists who have reported (by May 31) the college or university as their first choice.
April 28, 2010: NMSC will begin mailing college-sponsored Merit Scholarship offers.
NOTE: If NMSC receives notification of a change in college choice from a Finalist after
mailing a college-sponsored Merit Scholarship offer to that student, the Finalist cannot be
offered another college-sponsored Merit Scholarship award. This applies even if the new
choice of college is one that also sponsors Merit Scholarship awards. Therefore, a Finalist
who has previously reported a sponsor college as first choice but is uncertain about it may
choose to notify NMSC that he/she is now undecided; such notification must be received
at NMSC, via mail or by fax to (847) 866-5113, before April 28. The Finalist can subsequently
report a firm college choice that NMSC receives by May 31.</p>