Does National Merit Finalist increase chance of acceptance?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
1

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if you all could tell me whether or not listing UChicago as my first choice on the National Merit Finalist website will increase my chances of being accepted. My SATs are very high, and I expressed in my alumni interview that UChicago is my first choice (he communicated it to the admissions office). Will my preference for UChicago as indicated on the National Merit form increase my chances of admission?

Thanks!

2

No

3

I doubt it. Does UChicago offer any NMF scholarships that you are hoping to get? Have you applied anywhere that offers big bucks for NMF?

4

Listing it as your first choice would seem to demonstrate interest, which Chicago takes into account.

5

Let me clarify: let them know you got NMF and that may help - however, putting them 1st choice on the form will not affect their decision to admit you. It will, however, affect whether you get the $4000 per year NMF scholarship offered by Chicago if you do happened to get admitted.
See: https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/costs/scholarships

6

Be aware that you can change your NMF first choice. It isn’t too late after you have been accepted and decide to attend to select Chicago. Or at least it wasn’t 5 years ago when my son did this–make sure to double check. The scholarships are bigger now. He only got $1000 per year.