<p>It seems like there's no advantage to submitting a first-choice before April 1st (decision time). However, does this put you out of the running for the $2,500 scholarships? Or any other problems?</p>
<p>I don’t think April 1st is “decision time”. Some kids don’t select their school until May 1st. </p>
<p>Unless a school requires to be named by a certain date, there’s no hurry to name a first choice.</p>
<p>I think some people think the one time awards are decided now…they’re not. they’re announced on May 4th…so that would suggest that they are decided in the last weeks of April.</p>
<p>a Finalist who has previously reported a sponsor college as first choice but is uncertain about it may choose to notify NMSC that he/she is now “undecided”; such notification must be received at NMSC, via mail or by fax to (847) 866-5113, before April 27. The Finalist can subsequently report a firm college choice that NMSC receives by May 31.</p>
<p>May 31, 2011: Deadline date for NMSC to receive reports of a sponsor college as first choice. Because it is necessary to end the competition in a timely manner, only college choice reports that NMSC receives by</p>
<p>May 31 will be used to identify the final group of candidates to a college or university that sponsors awards.</p>
<p>No need to designate a college to be considered for the NM 2.5k one time award. I have found this helpful:</p>
<p>[Carleton</a> College: Admissions: Tips for National Merit Scholars](<a href=“http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/afford/national_merit_tips/]Carleton”>http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/afford/national_merit_tips/)</p>