Benefits beyond the potential actual scholarship of the National Merit Scholarship Program

My daughter took the ACT and PSAT, and is a rising senior. She has verbally committed to a university for athletics. If she qualifies as a National Merit Semifinalist, she will have to take the SAT to be eligible as a finalist. Since she already committed, is there any reason, that I am not aware of, that she should put herself through this testing (so she doesn’t need this on her resume to enter college, and the university she has committed to does not hand out any National Merit Scholarship $)? Does it help you beyond a undergraduate degree? Does this help you in any other way that I am not aware of, like graduate school, or anything else? I’ve read about it and I am still not sure. Thank you in advance for any advice.

There are some full-ride options for NMFs, like University of Central Florida and University of Idaho. In the unlikely event of financial disaster, that can be a nice option to have.

I mean, it’s a nice honor and looks good on a resume. Also her HS may want to crow about her accomplishment. But otherwise if she is really sure that’s where she will go then you are correct it is likely unnecessary. BUT, if it were my kid, I would have her take the SAT and get the qualifying score. It does happen, in athletics, that recruits get injured and scholarships are revoked. Having NMF status and large automatic merit scholarships to numerous schools is almost as good, if not better, than a $280,000 Lloyds of London insurance policy on your D’s knee.

There are also the (competitive) $2,500 scholarships that National Merit Finalists may get from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation: https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/interior.aspx?sid=1758&gid=2&pgid=424 .

Isn’t the scores already out for 2019? Art Sawyer has at least an estimate of qualifying scores by state.

Besides the money, does this distinction help you besides getting it on a resume which may help you get into a college? Does this honor help you in any way after your undergraduate years?

Depends on the college. Harvard and Stanford may not care but many schools like to tout how many NMFs attend, even if there are no specific scholarships attached to the designation. Personally, I used to list it on my resume into my mid-20s, and prospective employers used to ask about it, but I do not think it matters much after college.

No it will not help her after college. Athletics will, her college GPA will, NMF will not (and its more than just taking the SAT).

Depending on the university yes. As mentioned earlier the $2500 for a two hour test is well worth it. I wouldn’t think that a student who qualified for NMSF would even have to put in much study or practice to get a qualifying score needed.

If I’m not wrong the OP is talking AFTER college not before.

No, a high school rising senior already committed to a school to play a sport.

She can always say she’s a NMF.

It’s worth taking the SAT and repurposing an essay. NMSF is a high-profile honor. Usually makes the local paper. Sometimes other honors can come out of being noticed because of it. It’s also cheap insurance in terms of the full ride options, in case of injury, a change of heart, etc.