NMS finalists receive the half tuition National Merit Finalist Presidential scholarship. Does this mean that they are out of the running for the other four? Do they still go to ExploreUSC? If so, are there interviews for the NMF scholarships as well, or is it automatic?
AFAIK, no, NMF people are still in the running for the other scholarships. I believe last year’s acceptance thread had NMSF kids getting interviewed for the Presidential scholarships even though they would get it automatically (almost as if the admission office didn’t know about the NMF scholarship – maybe because decisions are made before NMSF kids become NMF).
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@CADREAMIN is correct.
Many NMFs are considered for Mork and Trustees scholarships. The invitations to the scholarship weekend arrive with an early acceptance letter in mid-late January, if memory serves. It’s good to go even if you’re guaranteed the 1/2 tuition NMF as you can sometimes be bumped up to a full tuition. The scholarships don’t stack (i.e., you can’t get any more than whatever the maximum single award amount is). Also, the Mork and Trustees (and even the Presidential) carry some prestige and other perks (e.g., honors dorms, etc.). I don’t recall if there are research stipend associated with them as well.
Even if you do not receive an invitation to the scholarship weekend, it may very well be the case that you that you will be admitted during the regular admit cycle and receive the automatic 1/2 tuition NMF (assuming you specify USC as your 1st choice; you have until May 1st to do so).
Sorry @LoveTheBard had to repost and ran out of time so did the … thing on previous post. Wanted to be more clear. Likely repeating what you said, but here it is again if so!
NMF half tuition (about 26K) is automatic if you are admitted and are a National Merit Finalist, and declare USC as #1 choice with NMS Corporation by May 1st. A Presidential is also half tuition, so this can cause confusion.
Acceptances (for scholarship recipients only) with invites to interview for Presidential and other scholarships come out in late Jan/early Feb, before the NMF results roll around. By the time the interviews happen in later Feb/March, students may know if they are NMF at that point. If a student is invited to interview for Presidential and then finds out they are also a NMF, they think they don’t need to show up for the interview for the Presidential because they know they get the same 1/2 tuition guaranteed by being a NMF. But a student should interview because there is a chance the Presidential scholarship is bumped up to the next level.
Another scenario is a student may get admitted in the regular cycle, be an NMF, then declare USC as #1 choice with NM Corporation by May 1st to get the 1/2 tuition scholarship. (Not half COA). In this example, that student would not have been invited to interview.
Using older figures (which are likely close because scholarship numbers haven’t change significantly), 800 students are invited to interview for Presidential (1/2 tuition - 200 total), and the full tuition scholarships, Trustees -100 total, Mork - 10 total, Stamps - 5 total. The question remains how many NMF’s are admitted and if they are part of the Presidential figures as USC doesn’t disclose the figure for NMF admits.
So — you can receive the Presidential and then find out you are an NMF. Or you can be admitted in the late March decision cycle, be an NMF and get the same ½ tuition awarded. Scholarships do not stack.
This is still the best info out there on scholarships:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/1597366-tips-insights-observations-and-scoop-on-uscs-top-merit-scholarships-p1.html