Full rides and all that good stuff...

<p>People say a lot of great things about University of Alabama for NMFs, and they make it clear that UA will pay for full tuition and honors housing and a little more minus food, but it's a little harder to keep track of other schools that offer the same. I've heard different things about different schools, that some have cut back on NMF scholarships and some don't cover full room or tuition and such, so...what schools would you recommend looking at that are similar to UA in financial provision and smaller-college-feel (apparently their honors college is good with that)?</p>

<p>Also, slightly unrelated, would a low GPA (3.25W/4.1UW) keep me from getting from NMSF to NMF? I had a pretty bad first year but got mostly A's sophomore and junior year.</p>

<p>your GPA will NOT prevent you from NMF, but more likely from receiving $2500 from NMSC.</p>

<p>Also, slightly unrelated, would a low GPA (3.25W/4.1UW) keep me from getting from NMSF to NMF? I had a pretty bad first year but got mostly A’s sophomore and junior year.</p>

<p>What grades did you get frosh year? If you mean that you got a bunch of B’s, then that’s ok. If you got a bunch of Cs for semester grades, then that could be an issue.</p>

<p>Apply to Alabama. Alabama enrolled 182 NMFs this fall…a new record. And, yes, their Honors College is awesome…offering small sized classes (15 kids each).</p>

<p>Bama has jumped 21 spots in US News rankings in the last 2 years…I don’t think any other school has jumped that much in that short of a time. </p>

<p>What is your likely major?</p>

<p>here is a video of Alabama’s College of Arts and Sciences to give you some idea of the school. </p>

<p>[The</a> University of Alabama College of Arts & Sciences “This is How College is Meant to Be” - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>

<p>Awesome video… I’ve seen a lot of great stuff about Bama on this site, and it’s great that they really seem to take an interest in NMF students. Is admission to their Honors College guaranteed for NMF? Intramural sports and diverse clubs are a huge part of my decision. Do you know anything about the student life there?</p>

<p>* Is admission to their Honors College guaranteed for NMF? Intramural sports and diverse clubs are a huge part of my decision. Do you know anything about the student life there? *</p>

<p>Yes, admission into the Honors College is guaranteed for NMFs. However, the HC has 4 programs in it, so 2 of the programs does have competitive admissions…so you’d have to apply for the those if you’re interested…that said, NMFs seem to have an advantage for those apps.</p>

<p>And, student life is very active at Bama…lots of clubs and intramurals. What ones interest you?</p>

<p>I want a small school feel, so I’ll really be looking into the Honors College.</p>

<p>Basketball and photography are the main things I want to continue participating in in college. I’m also interested in spoken word/poetry.</p>

<p>The Honors College hosts an Open Mic night once a week where students can showcase talents, poetry, whatever.</p>

<p>Going to a large school with a well-developed honors college gives you the best of both worlds…lots of majors, lots of sections for each class (so more time choices), various profs teaching the same class (so if you don’t like a prof, you can more easily avoid him/her), more on-campus dining venues, more clubs, more housing choices…while also getting the more intimate feel from the small honors classes.</p>

<p>There are some photography honors courses as well. And, of course, intramural basketball…and also pick-up basketball games as well.</p>

<p>There was a thread last school year about rejection letters–it seems that some semifinalists were cut with unweighted GPAs of 3.0-3.4. Some were rejected for low SAT scores (2000+ is usually OK). You need to have consistently high grades. If you have Cs and Ds on your transcript–even if it was freshman year–you might not make it.</p>

<p>Receiving some low grades isn’t always a problem. My D1 (class of 2011) had several C’s on her transcript and an overall unweighted GPA just under 3.4. Her high school program was an especially challenging one, and regularly has over 30% of the class qualify as NMFs. The cover letter written by the counselor seems to be how low grades are handled.</p>

<p>it seems that some semifinalists were cut with unweighted GPAs of 3.0-3.4.</p>

<p>I wonder if it was their GPAs or their actual grades…such as a D somewhere?</p>

<p>I don’t know how to link to a thread, but if you search for NMF Rejection Letters around 1/11, it should come up. After re-reading the thread (not knowing the OPs actual grades and type of school, of course), I think a “3.25 with a bad freshman year” is in the danger zone. Kids with one D–and higher GPAs (3.5+) were rejected. Multiple C’s and overall low GPA were rejected, too.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1064200-nmf-rejection-letters-go-out-very-soon.html?highlight=nmf+rejection+letters[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1064200-nmf-rejection-letters-go-out-very-soon.html?highlight=nmf+rejection+letters&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>To link…go to the http on the top of your computer…highlight the entire http…then “copy”…the paste it into a post.</p>

<p>Thanks, mom!</p>

<p>After reading that thread, it seems like I don’t have much of a chance at NMF. Ah, well…thank you all for the help. Maybe I’ll apply to UA anyway!</p>

<p>Why not? Have you taken the SAT yet? And even if you are only a semifinalist, a lot of schools will still give generous scholarship packages. I’m hoping I don’t end up missing any deadlines since my school is clueless about the whole thing. Good luck to ya!</p>

<p>^^^</p>

<p>Just Jencular…</p>

<p>Don’t lose hope. Some have said that when their GC’s sent their transcripts into NMCorp, they attached a note that the school has a rigorous curriculum and that a 3.X GPA is a strong one for the school …</p>

<p>Do you know if your school puts the weighted GPA on the transcript? If not, have your GC write it on your transcript and sign it. </p>

<p>also…if you don’t make NMF, then Alabama will still give you free tuition since you made NMSF and have a high enough weighted GPA (make sure it’s on the transcript…or have the GC write that on it!!!)</p>

<p>And, if you’re a Engineering or Comp Sci major, Bama will also give you an additional 2500 per year on top of the NMF scholarship or the free tuition scholarship…So, you could still end up with a good amount of merit money.</p>