<p>Straight from the horse’s mouth, uh the Fin Aid Office.
Called to ask them to clarify the $4000 “National Merit College Sponsored Scholarship” vs. the $2500 one time Scholarship, because the renewable $1000/yr one showed up on my S’s account (Gift Aid tab) today. Was read to this note, not word for word but close,
This is to be removed from the account if the student is awarded the $2500 NMSC scholarship. This is per NMSC policy and is not negotiable.</p>
<p>There you have it, that’s it. So my understanding is, once USC get the nmsc finalist names from nmsc, they put the $4000 one on your account, pending final notification from nmsc. Whichever one nmsc offers to the student will be final and not switchable. However, if you are a finalist but not named a scholar in the end, you’ll probably end up with the higher award. Doesn’t seem too fair.</p>