<p>This is to raise awareness for parents who think their junior son or daughter has a score that may qualify them for National Merit semifinalist next year and who would then be eligible for a corporate-sponsored award. </p>
<p>If this is the case, parents need to check with HR at their company NOW about any required forms. My husband and I work for a company that gives a large number of these scholarships and we have a daughter who was just named a Finalist (2013 grad). However, we were required to enter paperwork LAST February in order to be eligible for their scholarship. We have known people in the past who were not aware of this deadline that occurs before any official NM status notification, and then their S or D was not eligible for the scholarship when s/he was named a finalist the following February. </p>
<p>Since our company also awards a number of "special" scholarships going to high scorers that are not eventually NMF, I would ask HR about the paperwork needed even if I had a son or daughter near commended status (anywhere close to or above 200).</p>
<p>NMSC does the administration of the scholarships. They choose the winners from the pool of Finalists based on a list provided to them by the corporation. Employees of our company are required to fill out a form that basically confirms employment status so that the company can give a list to NMSC. For some (unknown to me) reason, this form has a deadline of the end of February in the junior year. They do advertise it some, but a lot of parents aren’t thinking that far ahead so it doesn’t register.</p>
<p>The company would have a hard time knowing who of their employees’ children were NMF without the employee themselves filling out some paperwork. It’s the timing that is surprising in this case.</p>
<p>It seems quite unique and they must have a lot of candidates each year or limiting the number given out if not everyone can get one in the end despite being NMSF.</p>
<p>I guess they don’t layoff people! One year ahead seems like a lot of planning.</p>
<p>^^^ They do lay people off, and it may be unique in the timing. But it is a company that awards a large number of scholarships and I’m pretty sure all NMF’s who do the paperwork in time get the scholarship because there are a substantial number of “leftover” scholarships given in the “special scholarship” category. It’s also a scholarship amount that is substantially larger than any college-sponsored scholarship I’ve seen so it’s a real shame to hear of people who missed out. Especially also since it is applicable to any school.</p>