Thank you so much! Are you talking about the student portal where students checked their admission decision?
Yes. They send instructions on how to access the test. Good luck!
What test is this for? Thanks
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And how is it related to the “Class of 2021 National Merit” topic?
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I believe they mean the deadline to designate a particular school as your first choice for your NMF scholarship. Many are April 1 but some colleges have an earlier deadline (like BU)
It’s related to the topic because it refers to a scholars program available at UTD, where NMFs are offered full rides.
The exam is for entrance to the Computing Scholars program at UTD.
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I had the same questions. Thank you @bay999!
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Thanks. My son received a letter from UTD, but he hasn’t applied to the school.
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Thank you!
You might have your son look at Arizona State - NMF gets full tuition. Housing is guaranteed for 4 years (if you want it). My DS is a junior, CS major. He is in Barrett Honors College, which becomes a small school (~8000) in a large school environment. He is only taking subsidized student loans so our “out-of-pocket” is about $11k. Depending on your son’s major, it can be a very attractive alternative.
Similar to the discussion about FSU, ASU has the party rep but they have poured a ton of $$ into the research aspect of STEM classes. My son is not a “party” type, so that has not been an issue for him.
Thanks for sharing. It seems there is still time until May 1. We will surely look into it as an option.
ASU has rolling admission. If your son is interested as an NMF - they have a separate admission recruiting office for those candidates. Call them and they can give you the most accurate info -Apply to Barrett | Barrett, The Honors College | ASU
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This is great information. We will explore the honors college.
If you have any questions about Computing Scholars, I’ll be happy to answer them. My NMS '20 attends the program.
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Is there a down side to designating early? My DD ignored my advice and designated a reach school she hasn’t been accepted to yet. I know we can and will change it if necessary. But is there an actual down side to having listed it early?
I would love your opinion on the program! Is there a focus on research? How hard is it to stay in the program (with the 3.5 GPA requirement). Does your child believe that the program has a significant impact on his experience at UTD? I also would like to know if the program helps with getting internships. Lastly, after student select UTD as first choice with NM, how/when did UTD confirm NMS scholarship? Thank you!
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The program has definitely been the highlight for him, and one of the main reasons he chose to attend UTD. He likes having a small group (30 students only) with whom he takes the same honors classes. The classes are designed for the cs^2 students only (with the exception of one or two classes which is open to all cs honors students) and as such get deeper into the subject than regular cs classes.
One thing to keep in mind is that the 3.5 GPA requirement is across cs classes only, but one bad semester doesn’t mean that the student has to leave cs^2. There are a few students who leave the program, but the majority of them stay. I am sure Dr. Page would be happy to give you the exact numbers. There is an alternative entry into the program for current UTD students, but the number of students is capped at 30.
As for internship and research, I cannot really answer that. S20 continued with research he started back in high school (the advantage of having everything online), and he wasn’t interested in getting an internship this summer. The students are encouraged to participate in their fast track program, a combined BS/MS degree (open to any cs major as long as they satisfy the conditions). If your child comes with enough AP/DE credits, then it’s possible to obtain an MS degree within 4 years, the length of the NMS scholarship.
I am not really sure when UTD confirmed the scholarship. There were a few letters regarding the scholarship, but I don’t really recall the time frame. The scholarship is automatic, and there is really nothing to worry about. Don’t hesitate to ask the program coordinator.
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Thank you so much for your insights!
From my recollection of past discussions, there really is no down side. The one exception - if a potential school requires you to designate them #1 by a specific date.
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