<p>I'm a National Merit Scholar and I'm applying to Northwestern for the Class of 2012. I know that Northwestern makes a big deal about their NMS applicants and students, but I was curious if getting the finalist status is a big help in Admissions Decisions. Obviously nothing is a HUGE help, they judge holistically, but I have pretty average statistics (for Ivies, that is) otherwise. Is NMS the thing that could push me over the top for Northwestern?</p>
<p>I'm really not trying to brag, I just want to know. I'm somewhat nervous. Lol.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>at a school like northwestern, it may help a bit.</p>
<p>but keep in mind--they're much more likely to examine your senior year academic record, SAT/ACT and high school ECs instead of focusing on a test you took as a junior</p>
<p>if you did really well, it can't hurt you. but NW gets a lot of qualified applicants, and the number of NMS seems to increase each year</p>
<p>K, thanks. That's what I assumed.</p>
<p>Do they even know which applicants became finalists?</p>
<p>Finalist vs Semi-finalist has almost no difference to it. Something like 90% of all Semifinalists become finalists. So no, it doesn't help any more than semifinalist does (though not getting it if you were a Semifinalist would be bad). On the upshot, if you get in you can get $2k a year from them!</p>