<p>My son is applying to several high quality schools and has identified one of them as his top choice with the National Merit program. One or two other schools have sent him a card asking him to notify them if he becomes a NMF (which he has). Could returning the card hurt his chances? I ask because they could easily check his name on the card against the students who've identified that particular school as their top choice (National Merit sends each school a list of the students who've named that school as their top choice, right?). So if they know that he is not their top choice, are they more likely to turn him down, or are they more likely to offer admission to a NMF even if that student clearly has picked another school as his top choice?</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry about turning them off if they are sending you postcards trying to recruit you.</p>
<p>The first choice selection can still be changed, and the schools know that. These schools are hoping to woo him into making a change to their school. Are the current non-first-choice ones he would consider attending (and possibly switching his “first choiceness” to)? My d changed her first choice school a couple times in the process before happily ending up a NM Scholar at the right school for her. Can’t hurt.</p>
<p>The short answer: No.</p>
<p>The longer answer:
Top choice is a very picky thing for scholarships. As I was applying, I had three different schools with three different deadlines for being my top choice. If that school is listed as your student’s first choice, then he gets the scholarship. I played their game and switched my choice three different times so I could gain the scholarships at all three universities. I am now attending TCU, and to get the full tuition scholarship, I had to interview with two different panels. I identified as a NMF, and it seems to have worked out. I hope that my personal experience can provide a little guidance.</p>
<p>-Happily a Horned Frog</p>
<p>P.S. I ended up going to a university that only gives $2,500 a year for NMF, but they offer a scholarship that covers full tuition.</p>