<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I am a NMSF, </p>
<p>1) my top choice college does not do anything for NMF, so I would not qualify for the college sponsored scholarship.</p>
<p>2) I do not have a parent working for one of the NM sponsoring companies, so I dot qualify for any corporate sponsored scholarship.</p>
<p>3) My only chance is to get the one time $2500 scholarship from NMSC. Now what qualifies these? Is there anyway I can improve my chance of getting that. I have a pretty good academic record and ECs.</p>
<p>Would appreciate response.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>IMO there is nothing you can do. The $2500 awards are given to the top students in each state and if you are near the top for your state, you may be in luck. My daughter did get one of the corporate awards and her classmate earned one of the $2500 awards for our state. My daughter was one point ahead of her classmate who had a 228.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>It’s kind of a mystery as to how the one time $2500 awards are given. It may be by PSAT score…it may be by SAT…it may be some kind of combo of both and GPA.</p>
<p>BTW…if you’re applying to schools that meet need without loans and you have need, then getting the $2500 will just get applied to need. It won’t reduce your family contribution.</p>
<p>“It’s kind of a mystery as to how the one time $2500 awards are given. It may be by PSAT score…it may be by SAT…it may be some kind of combo of both and GPA.”</p>
<p>you need a certain PSAT score (varies by state and you can google what score is needed this year for your state) to qualify to apply to be a finalist. after that, the awards are just as “mysterious” as any application process. the only way to improve your chances … do your research on the actual website and try to make your essay as strong as possible. There is nothing you can change about an existing HS track record of academics and extracurriculars.</p>
<p>look for other local/regional merit-based or service-based scholarships … there’s bound to be some and the more you apply the better chances of getting one. some are even multi-year, which is better than one-time only $2500. I was a finalist, but most of the $$$ I got towards tuition was from other scholarships that other students did not do their work on. Ask your guidance counselor/older students.</p>
<p>Thanks all.</p>
<p>"…you need a certain PSAT score (varies by state and you can google what score is needed this year for your state) to qualify to apply to be a finalist…"</p>
<p>Do you mean there is a certain PSAT score to qualify to be a finalist too? I thought that was the process to qualify to be a semi-finalist. Am a little confused.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>PSAT score is used to determine semi-finalists…not to determine finalists.</p>
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<p>The application was turned in months ago, so this is not an option.</p>
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<p>I don’t remember the numbers, but not all finalists become scholars, so the PSAT may be used (the top scorers in each state, for example) to help figure out who gets the $$.</p>