@TexasMom2017 we would visit UTD, but since U of KY is within driving distance, it may be easier. Do you know if UTD closes the dorms 3 times per year?
Iām sorry, I donāt know about the dorm schedule, but you can probably find it online.
I apologize if this question was raised by others in the past, but Iām new to this process. If studentās possible choice of school, like UIUC, is not listed as one of NM college and he doe not qualify for corporate sponsors, does he qualify for any award as a NMF from NMSC?
@cag60093 Yes, a student such as one you described would still be eligible to receive a one-time award of $2,500 from NMSC.
Wilmom94 - Thank you.
@2sunny UTD still under consideration. Visiting on NMF day at the end of next month. Obviously a great package for NMFs. Itās really the wild card compared to his other 2 āfinalistsā, and still waiting for some similar awards from them.
@mnhusker1962 would luv to hear about your experience visiting UTD. which are your other 2 finalists?
@2sunny Sorry for the late replyā¦on the meal plans Iām working from the perspective of having a 6ā4" 230 lb appetite on legs for a son. We are going with the most expensive and hoping that he can bum food off your kid when he gets hungry 
@Backbeatcat LOL ! Look forward to KY! & they have transportation to cities on breaks!! :))
Just curious what you guys think -
Our school has still not notified my daughter about her finalist status. I really donāt care at this point, we know sheās a finalist - she received the letter at home. Is there any point to bringing it to the schoolās attention? Does the school receive something different (more formal or whatever) from what was sent directly to our house, something that my daughter will need?
@mageecrew the school should have been sent her certificate. Definitely notify them so that they have a chance to get that to her. And hopefully theyāll do a bit more than just that 
My sonās school hasnāt notified him either. Iām pretty sure they save the certificates for their annual academic awards night. He received his letter at home so we know he made finalist.
school gave us the certificateā have u all chosen a Final college? KY said to let them know by mid April
Finalists have many choices with AZ, KY, FL, OK, OH, TX, AL, etc
Thanks for the replies! So, I guess my daughter does need to go visit her counselor. Maybe they have something planned as to when to give it to her, but her counselor is definitely on the clueless side, so that might not be the case. Plus sheās the only one at her school who is an NMF this year, so there arenāt any other counselors involved.
@2sunny - my daughter hasnāt decided on a final college yetā¦ She was accepted at Alabama and Northeastern, but those are the only two she applied to that give money for National Merit. Sheās lucky in that she received tuition exchange scholarships at two of her favorite schools. They both award full tuition for TE. We are waiting to find out if she received the TE scholarship at another top pick. Plus, she has free tuition at the school I work at, which is also a contender. So, it will be a tough decision for her but we and she are feeling extremely lucky right now that she has some great, finacially viable choices.
My daughter school never got the letter but knew to look for it because I informed them it would be coming. I informed the school of her finalist status. The school actually called the National Merit to get new copies of the certificates for my daughter and the other finalist. Not sure if they have received them yet or not. Hopefully they will get recognized during the senior awards.
@mageecrew Awesome! We have many choicesā¦ if we take the full ride, it may be KY or TX ? Not sure. Waiting
on Carnegie Mellon, Princeton, and more TOP colleges (before out final decision)
I had to email my sonās school for the certificate because he sent the letter from NMSC to his designated NM first choice but the letter lists the designated first choice school so he sent the certificate to other schools that he wanted to notify he is a NMF. To my surprise, he received very kind replies from two of the schools.
Are our kids supposed to āproveā that they are NMFās? Didnāt even think of that! My D17 just sent off e-mails to her admissions counselors.
@JBStillFlying The participating schools get notification via studentās first choice listed with NMSC. Did send the certificate from NMSC to several possible schools to show interest. Final decision will be made before April 30.
@JBStillFlying Emails are fine; I just had my son attach the letter / certificate to provide the schools with something to put with the application, rather than an email.
@grtd2010 True that the first choice school will get notification but the rest of the schools will not so if a student wants any other schools to know, the student would need to notify them. Even for the first choice, providing the info to the school got it there at least two weeks before NMSC will.