<p>I am a semi-finalist for a National Merit Scholarship, and as some of you may know, this scholarship will not be awarded if the winner attends a service academy. I believe that this is extremely wrong (how can you punish someone for doing something as honorable as attending a service academy). They shouldn't take away an award that you have won because of the school you choose to go to. Anyway, I am looking to write a letter to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to explain them my stance on the issue. If anyone could help me come up with some ideas to convice the NMSC, I would greatly appreciate it. Also, if anyone wanted to write their own letters (strength in numbers) to the NMSC that would also be very helpful and appreciated.</p>
<p>Hey, good idea. It kind of makes me angry that I can't get a NMS if I do turn out to be a finalist. Hmm...for one thing, there's about a $2000 entrance fee that it could be applied to, so that's one good reason why people attending a service academy should still get a scholarship.</p>
<p>Also, seeing how there's approx. a 14% acceptance rate, there's a good chance we might not be accepted to a service academy at all...</p>
<p>there is no entrance fee for 2012, it'll come out of your paychecks later.</p>
<p>I got commended, but not finalist.</p>
<p>But I kinda agree with them on this one. If you are gonna go to a service academy, the money would be better spent on somebody who may otherwise not get to go to college.</p>
<p>Even so, it is a MERIT scholarship, so it should go to the person with the best merits. After all, students at service academies still incur expenses (travel, textbooks, supplies, entertainment etc), and make a pretty meager salary compared to other college students who can work full time during the summer and part time during the school year. I just don't think it is fair to deprive someone of a MERIT scholarship. This scholarship should go to the person with the best merits and should not be dependent on where they go to school.</p>
<p>Their scholarship, their rules.</p>
<p>My d listed her top "backup" school for National Merit. I don't disagree with your points that SA members could still use the $$$, but we would need it a lot more (probably) if she has to attend the backup. </p>
<p>I just checked the NM web site for their rules. The only award that's directly from NM is a single $2500 award. According to their web page, about 1/2 of the Finalists win them, and it is independent of the choice of school. Other awards come through corporations or participating universities.
National</a> Merit Scholarship Corporation - National Merit Scholarship Program</p>
<p>There is a $2500 admission fee to USNA. You can use a scholarship to pay for it, or you can write a check, cc, get a loan, etc. But come I-Day.. one way or another.. you will have had to have paid $2500. Everybody pays it.. poor or rich or middleclass.</p>
<p>And.. if you do have a scholarship and decide to go to USNA they will first apply it to the Admission fees and the additional goes to the other $1000's they charge the mids while they are there (such as the $2K mid store credit card plebes recieve). It is all funny money and it does all work out in the end. :)</p>
<p>GOOD LUCK THOSE WAITING ON WORD FROM THE ACADEMY! IT IS AN EXCITING TIME!</p>
<p>no entrance fee for 2012 - deducting it from monthly pay.</p>
<p>Scholarships pay for someone's education, the Navy does that for you. Don't be selfish man.</p>
<p>It is a merit-based scholarship but presumably an award assumes that you're attending a school for which you need a scholarship. For example, if you didn't attend college, you wouldn't get the scholarship either. </p>
<p>USNA no lo longer even requires an admission fee. So, it's hard to imagine what the money would be used for.</p>
<p>National</a> Merit Scholarship Corporation - National Merit Scholarship Program - click on the link, near the bottom of the page is a listing of the possible scholarship awards.
As you can see, the majority of the awarded scholarships are funded by the participating colleges, NOT the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. This explains the disparity among the various NM finalists' scholarship offers. My mid (now a youngster) was a finalist. Various state universities sent letters offering four year full scholarships, together with study abroad awards (and at least one also included a laptop in the offer) if they were listed as #1 choice. The private university my mid listed as #1 offered $5,000 per year for four years (to be added to their previous scholarship offer).</p>
<p>Congratulations on your accomplishment!</p>
<p>I have a friend who is from a very wealthy family and is going to an elite Ivy League school. She is eligible for the NM scholarship. However, A kid who may be middle class and has accomplished an appointment to a Service Academy, is going to spend at least 5 years serving their country, and will make less than average pay after graduation is not eligible?? BTW, it does not matter if the “admission fee" is collected up front or by payroll deduction, you still pay it.</p>
<p>So you get a lump sum from NM - does your friend get paid while they are in school? We get "in take home pay" $100 a month for plebe year ($1200.00) $200 a month for youngster year $300 ($3600) 2C year and it varies up to $400 a month firstie year. </p>
<p>It is our choice in spending 5 year serving our country and getting what you call less than average pay for the duration in the fleet, it does not matter to me nor 99% of the Mids I know. Look at the "value" that time gives you not the money. Flight school, Nuke school, some even grad school... to name a few. Also I am guaranteed of a job when I graduate - priceless IMO.</p>
<p>As far as the whole Payroll deduction - you take out an interest free loan at the beginning of Plebe summer it was 6000 for my class, I think for the class of 2011 it was 6500. I imagine that for class of 2012 they will just roll the upfront fee into that "loan" - everyone has to take the loan and everyone in each class has the same payroll deductions. It is not until firstie year will you even "see" the money that is deposited from any scholarships. </p>
<p>So NM awards you $$$$ and you use it to offset "if there was" an entrance fee (you will get your computer out of that "enterance fee") - your friend at elite Ivy may if receiving an award have a "bit" less in the way of tuition. Also, remember your elite Ivy student will be spending $$$$ (in excess of $100,000.) One $5000 NM scholarship hardly makes a dent. Meanwhile I will have paid, in actual dollars, $8500 for my education which by the way is just as "elite." I certainly am not crying cuz I didn't get to use a NM nor would I have expected to have received one with deciding to go to USNA. After all my "scholarship" from the US Government IS Worth $280,000.00 Makes NM seem really small!</p>
<p>BTW I was also a NM finalist.</p>
<p>Current Mid--my post was meant to be complemtary of your decision to attend the USNA. I consider your path to be much more difficult than my silver spoon friend and frankly, more honorable. I do however think in making that choice you should be afforded the opportunity of taking the NMS money -or any other nondesignated scholarship. You then could choose to accept, decline or donate the money. I just think you earned it.</p>
<p>TxnAK-
with all due respect, would wait until you are AWARDED the scholarship BEFORE you go worring about spending it.</p>
<p>Congrats on the semifinals.
Good luck with the final selection.
If you make it, and get that scholarship, then you can worry about it.</p>
<p>And the rumor is true: there is no longer an "entrance"fee to USNA starting with the Class of 2012..... it will be deducted as you spend your time by the bay, and not collected up front as in past years.</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>