No, designating a top choice does not negate NMS status. There are three ways to progress to NMS: 1) corporate award; 2) NMSC $2500 award; or 3) college sponsored award. Your child is eligible for the Benacquisto by receiving any one of these.
Yes, my d20 is an NMS at FSU. She is in the honors college and she loves it.
I’m not positive how FSU would apply the NMSC $2500 award to the student account but I would be surprised if it did not stack. The college sponsored award stacks with the Benacquisto.
It says NMF’s are guaranteed admission to the FSU honors program, however, it seems that the application has to be submitted by 12/1. Is it too late for the honors program if my son applies now?
Last year the honors app was submitted after decisions came out - it was a combined app for Presidential and honors scholars. I would contact the university if I were you to inquire about this. It may be that what you are seeing is the due date for enrolled students, or they could have changed it this year. I don’t know.
ETA: I just briefly looked at the website and the honors application process does look different from what I recall from last year. I recommend calling them about this.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I sent an email to the admissions office. Hopefully it’s not too late.
After no mail and no word from the school, I called NMSC this morning. My bubble kid is a finalist!
If you’re still waiting, call!
I got a scholarship to huge scholarship to UMaine for this.
Can students call too? I’m in NJ and haven’t heard anything yet
I had to to see if I was a SF since my school forgot to release the information until 2 weeks before finalist applications were due (yeah, that essay was not fun in two weeks). They were super nice and very helpful.
Thank you, just called them and found out that I’m a finalist!!! Congrats to everyone else!
Can you pls tell me which number you had called? Thanks!
I called (847) 866-5100.
Thanks for reminding us we could just call. I called today and my daughter is a finalist! 
To the schools that i have submitted updates to, I haven’t included any pdf proof. I’m assuming this is okay because on my common app I listed the semifinalist honor in my commonapp and didn’t attach any proof for that?
I wouldn’t sweat it. Many things on your application do not have proof. If schools find out later you have lied, they reserve the right to rescind your acceptance. Similar to lying on a job application or resume. The assumption will be that anything you state on the application or in an update is truthful.
How did you send your update, by emails? Thanks
I’m a little confused- aren’t the college sponsored award and the benacquisto the same thing? I believe the benacquisto already gives you the full COA, so does that mean with the college sponsored award you are receiving above the COA? (what even is the college-sponsored award at these Florida schools?) Thanks
Cheers to the bubble kid finalists!
No, they are separate awards. One is related to National Merit and one is from the state of Florida.
ETA: the college sponsored award from FSU that my daughter gets is $500/year.
To be eligible for Benacquisto, you need to be a NMS. Colleges will give you $500 to make you a scholar if you have not received any other from NM or Corporate.