Why is it so hard to find Natioanl Merit Scholar information on college websites???

Paying for College
1

<p>Using the list from the PSAT guide, I have visited the sites of the schools my son applied to that supposedly off some sort of NMS money. On many college sites, there is no info at all-- UVA, NYU, Centre are all listed on the PSAT guide, but have not a word on their sites!</p>

<p>I called some schools-- only to be told by admissions people that they 'don’t know the numbers, but it will be in the letter".</p>

<p>Unfortunately, if my son doesn’t name a top choice by March 1, he may not get any NMS award from a school…</p>

<p>Does anyone have any info about how much these schools award for NMS:</p>

<p>UVA
NYU
Centre
American
Wash U
Chigago</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>I remember reading somewhere that UChicago gives half and full tuition rides to NMF. Washington U has about 30 to 50 NM scholarships a year and they are valued from $500 to $2,500. UVA, I believe, no longer participates in the program. Remember, your son may hear from other schools interested in him, too. My son, for example, tapped Alabama as his choice after learning he would receive tuition, room, board, a laptop, stipend for studying aboard, etc. He also is in the honors program, which is just outstanding. Take a look at Alabama, Oklahoma, USC, Arizona State. All have nice merit money.</p>

3

<p>Have you tried going to the colleges websites and enterint National Merit Finalist in the search box? I just googled U of Chicago, entered National Merit Finalist in the search box and fount theNMF merit information ($1,000 a year if you have no need, up to $2,000 if there is need). Took me about 30 seconds and I have never been to their site before.</p>

<p>[University</a> of Chicago College Admissions | Merit Scholarships](<a href=“http://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/costs/scholarships.shtml]University”>http://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/costs/scholarships.shtml)</p>

<p>Washington U - $2,000 a year</p>

<p><a href=“http://sfsweb.wustl.edu/sfs/incoming/fap_booklet.pdf[/url]”>http://sfsweb.wustl.edu/sfs/incoming/fap_booklet.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>page 7</p>

4

<p>Yes, that was exactly what I did at each site-- I apologize for including Chicago-- I did get that one. There were no relevant returns on the UVA, NYU, wash u sites.</p>

5

<p>momreads, thanks! We did look at many of those and he applied at USC based on their 1/2 tuition NMS award (but, it probably won’t be a good match for him- at least, according to him at the moment).</p>

6

<p>Has there been a change in the date to report a first choice? When my daughter was a Finalist, she had until mid-April to declare her first choice. However, some colleges do want a declaration before April 1st, which is quite annoying.</p>

7

<p>Can you change your school after you have picked one?</p>

8

<p>I called the National Merit Scholar Org and was told: Son should declare a first choice by March 1. That colleges start receiving lists of students who declared the school as first choice at that time. That son could change his first choice up until April 28. That colleges have varying deadlines of when a student must declare that college to first choice in order to receive money directly from that school.</p>

<p>Caveat: The National Merit phone rep didn’t sound brilliant, and I am not sure of the quality of the info she provided.</p>

9

<p>I just spoke with them - yes, you can change your first pick. Fax or mail this form:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.nationalmerit.org/Col_Ch_Mer.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nationalmerit.org/Col_Ch_Mer.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;