<p>I know that when you become a national merit finalist, you have to designate your top school and a lot of colleges with NMF scholarships require to designate their school as your top choice. does anyone know when that designation needs to be made or more about the process? </p>
<p>by the way im a rising senior and am anticipating being a NMF</p>
<p>You find out if you're a semifinalist in the fall and a finalist, I believe in January. As part of the packet you would receive to apply for finalist status, you can indicate a top choice or leave as undecided. The NMSC deadline for top choice is not until fairly late in the spring. The specific dates will be on their web site and in the printed materials they give to semifinalists.</p>
<p>Some schools won't give you $ unless you indicate they are top choice fairly early, such as in February. (This seems kind of unfair to me). However, most will give you until the NMSC deadline.</p>
<p>The Carleton College website has a good page about National Merit scholarships. The following is one of their tips. Most schools are happy to honor the April date but the other mom is right that there are a few that make you designate them as your first choice before you get your acceptances from other schools. Be sure to check the deadline for every school.</p>
<p>"When indicating a college choice to National Merit, make sure it is a school you will likely attend. If you are not sure, indicate "undecided" to protect yourself. Once a National Merit Scholarship offer is made by a college, it is assumed that you will enroll there. Indicating "undecided" gives you the option to change your mind at the last minute. Note the April time frame to make your final college choice."</p>
<p>You can also indicate a first choice and then change to undecided before moving to a final choice. However, there are deadlines to watch. You have to change to undecided before colleges mail NMF offers (date indicated in NMSC materials) and you have to indicate your final first choice at some point.</p>