<p>Hey everyone! On the National Merit Semi Finalist application, there's a box which tells you to pick your first choice college. My real first choice college is not on the list, so I picked a sponsor college that I am applying to. Should I list the sponsor college, or my actual first choice college?? I am really confused... Thanks!</p>
<p>Good question...I need that answer too
I know you can't get a college-sponsored nm scholarship unless you write that college down...</p>
<p>For National Merit competition regarding scholarship from a college, only your first choice college can offer you a National Merit scholarship. If your real first choice college is not on the list, it will not mean anything whether you list that college or not as your first choice. The best strategy is to put "undecided" at this point. As a NMSF, you shall receive many offering from colleges that recruits NMSF. Some will offer you admittance to their honors college together with a big scholarship. You shall carefully consider those offers. You have until next April or May to actually decide what is your real "first choice". If your real first choice is still the one that does not sponsor National Merit scholarship that you can just ignore this completely. On the other hand if you find one of those that offers National Merit scholarship to be very attractive and decide to go there then you can put that college down as your "first choice college" at that time. At this point you do not have to decide.</p>
<p>Thanks, I guess I'll just put undecided...</p>
<p>For colleges that aren't sponsors, does it look good to them if you put them down anyways?</p>
<p>like does the National Merit program send them a little note saying that "hey, this kid chose you as first choice!" That way the school can see the interest?</p>
<p>I was battling with that dilemma as well, but then I ended up just putting my real first choice. While you can't get a college-sponsored scholarship by doing so, you can still contend for the $2500 which is transferable to any school. Meaning that if you do get into your first choice school, but you put down a sponsor as a first choice, you won't be offered that $2500. But if depends. If the sponsor first-choice is a school you really want to go to, go for it.</p>
<p>Colleges that aren't sponsors will not be notified whether someone put them down as "first choice" or not. Put down "undecided" is the best choice for the time being. You have till next April or May to put down your real "first choice" if you so desire.</p>
<p>Although you have until next May to put your choice down, colleges do get notice if you put them down and for some who offer huge merit money for NMSF's, it might make a difference in how hard they recruit you. If you know you intend to go after one specific school's merit money (while applying to other schools), it can't hurt to put that school down now as first choice since you can always change it at any time up to the deadline.</p>
<p>so, now im confused, christian2 says that schools dont get notified and bessie says they do.</p>
<p>Alright, I'll be specific:
If I put Harvard down as my first choice, even though they arent a sponsor school, will it increase my chances of acceptance into Harvard because they see that I put them down as first choice?</p>
<p>It will not. The "first choice" here has nothing to do with getting you a better chance to get into a particular college. It is strictly for identifying students to be offered a NM scholarship by a sponsor school. By rule, only the school that you identified as "first choice" can offer you a National Merit College sponsored scholarship.</p>