<p>I really do not think that having a first choice college affected (or in any way affects) the decision from NMSC on their own scholarships.</p>
<p>First the decisions are made by an independent committee and I do not think they would know which is the first choice college. For example some of members of the committee may be from one of the colleges and this would bias the situation. The committee consists of Admissions officers from Colleges.</p>
<p>Second, NMSC insists that you have first choice college mentioned before they mail out their letters. So if that logic were in place, one would expect that they could start second guessing their decision for every person. So if a student was forced to mention a choice, NMSC could look at the choice and say , “ha let us not give it to that person because that college gives good scholarships”. In other words, if they did that, it would mean the only recipients of NMSC’s own scholarships would be students that do not go to colleges that NMSC scholarships. That is not true. Scholdade in his thread gives examples of how different colleges treat students with NMSC’s own scholarship, and how they combine it with their own NM scholarship.</p>
<p>Third, they make it very clear that when you get the NMSC 's own scholarship, you can change you mind after that. Why would they then force you to choose a college and then loose the scholarship when they themselves give you a choice to change your choice? </p>
<p>Fourth, how do they even know that you will get into the college that is your first choice? They cannot presume that you will get into your first choice college as these decisions are made before most colleges make their decisions. </p>
<p>I think they looked at his/her application and for some reason decided not to award the scholarship. Without actually looking at the package, we can only guess it is the essay.</p>
<p>What puzzles me is how the student was a given a scholarship from a college when he/she went to undecided status on April 22nd. If she/he were in the undecided state on April 22nd, then they could not have been mailed a college offer on April 26th. I suspect that for some reason, the chance was not registered (may be sent by snail mail that did not reach them till after the 26th). If that were the case then NMSC rules are very clear, you cannot have another offer.</p>