Does anyone have information regarding the NMF college sponsored awards? Amounts awarded? When awarded? Also, is the $2500 one time award considered “less” of an award than the college sponsored? National Merit does not seem to like giving out information in any detail about the awards.
kmywest, do you know that there is a National Merit forum? Click to Financial Aid & Scholarship, and look at the very top of that forum to click on National Merit. You will see alot of information about the process, the schools that offer scholarships, information about the corporate award, college awards and the $2,500 NMF scholarship.
I have two sons who were NMFs. The first did not win the $2,500 award (which the student can use at any school) but rather got a college-sponsored award, plus a NMF year award. At his school, it was $1,000 to $2,000 per year depending on the FAFSA. He was award $2,000 p/year or $8,000 total for this award. With this and the other two college sponsored awards he received because he was a NMF, he basically had full tuition. My second son WAS awarded the $2,500 per year award. His university handled this differently than others might - they awarded him $2,500 the first semester and then $500 every semester since. The additional $500 per semester is not considered a NMF award, as he was awarded the $2,500 by NMF, but is a college sponsored one. This same university also awarded him full-tuition and four years paying for his dorm because he was a NMF.
The National Merit Corporation only knows about the awards they award. Many of the college sponsored awards are those that are given out BECAUSE you are a NMF, not through the NMF Corporation. Hope this helps.
Thank you!! This is very helpful. I have twin sons, and one was awarded the $2500, plus just found out he is getting a large amount for an engineering scholarship he applied for at his university. His twin brother has the better score and grades, and has not received anything from NM, nor did he receive the Engineering scholarship. Hard to figure it all out!! Congrats to your children on their awards 
@ kjcphmom WOW !!! CONGRATS!
I’m not sure what you mean by “is the $2500 one time award considered “less” of an award than the college sponsored?” or why you would care? Who are you trying to impress? Would you seriously be willing to accept less money for an award you have some idea is more prestigious?
One could argue the $2500 award is more prestigious - many of the students receiving this will be attending top college that do not offer college-sponsored NM scholarships.
On a more serious note - congrats to your sons, and to you!
“I have twin sons, and one was awarded the $2500, plus just found out he is getting a large amount for an engineering scholarship he applied for at his university. His twin brother has the better score and grades, and has not received anything from NM, nor did he receive the Engineering scholarship. Hard to figure it all out!!”
Are they going to the same college?
NMSC starts mailing notification of the NMSC college-sponsored awards starting May 1st to students who have a sponsoring college listed as their first choice and have not received either a corporate-sponsored award or the $2500. It will probably also appear on their NMF portal since notification of the other types were posted there this year. NMSC continues to send notifications through the end of May for anyone changes their first choice designation to a sponsoring college during May (if that college is still awarding scholarships). If you want to know the amount before getting an award notification, you need to ask the college itself since they vary from school to school. Like someone else said above, if a particular school offers a large scholarship package to NMF’s, the official NMSC part is likely only a small portion of that.
Oops I reread my response above. My 2nd son was awarded the $2500 one time award (not per year as stated.) Californiaaa, thanks for your comment. I am very proud of my two sons who were NMFs and the one who was on the edge. I think it is wonderful that the OP has two twins who became NMFs. Congratulations to her!
I must not have expressed myself very well when I posed this question. I am just trying to understand why one son with lower score and lower GPA was awarded the $2500 over the other son (twin) who has the higher score and GPA. I have no need to impress, and in fact, only share this news with close family members and anonymously on this site
Thank you STEMFamily, BLdrdad, kjcphmom and others for your congrats
Yes, and both applied for same Engineering scholarship. We are just happy that one received this award.
Thank you-this makes complete sense to me now.
@kmywest, There is an essay. Perhaps the kid with slightly lower stats wrote an essay someone liked. I think the follow-up SAT scores may also matter. I think most of the college-sponsored awards are given to all or a high percentage of the NMSF attending that school, so they would be easier to get than the actual NMS.
It could have been the essay. Thanks for the added information on the college-sponsored awards, we’ll see what happens. In the meantime we are thankful for the NMS award:)