<p>Where does your son go to school? just curious</p>
<p>If you refer to post 61, jlauer95's son is going to University of Alabama this Fall. I really appreciate the many good inforamtion jlauer95 is providing us here.</p>
<p>leung...</p>
<p>Thanks.... I'm always willing to share what we've learned thru the process - might as well have folks learn from our mistakes and the things we (thankfully) did right. (And, most of the things we did "right" were learned from parents on CC that went thru the process before we did - so - a big "thank you" to them!!! )</p>
<p>The whole thing is an amazing experience - I hope things don't change too much before our younger son goes thru the process. Yikes! But, it's worth it!</p>
<p>Some of this I sent to bball in a PM, but thought it might help here.</p>
<p>When checking out and/or visiting campuses, be sure to:</p>
<p>Take their tour BUT also take your own "tour" of "on campus" and "off campus" places that the kids like to "hang out".</p>
<p>See the insides of the dorms - especially the bathrooms - some schools have been LAX in remodeling and you'll find the bathrooms to be gross. </p>
<p>Tour honors dorms - if they have them -- find out the prices - often higher (so it's nice if cost is included in NMF scholarship)</p>
<p>Visit their honors college (if they have one) - this can also help you if getting accepted into the honors program is not automatic by grades/scores. You're more likely to be accepted after the honors interview process if the honors dean has met you during a previous campus visit. If you can't visit ahead of time, email a "resume" to the honors office to "introduce" yourself -- include name, address, PHONE, classes taken, grades, GPA, test scores, NM status, extra curriculars, awards, etc. (Also send this to schools' scholarship offices once you're named a NMSF in fall. - you will get immediate attention - phone calls, letters, etc.)</p>
<p>AND....when picking a school with good NM $$$ consider its honors college</p>
<p>honors colleges can give a "small school feel" at a big school because of individual attention.</p>
<p>Honors classes are usually very small -- usually less than 20 students AND are usually taught by the colleges BEST profs (that's because it's a "perk" for the best profs - most profs prefer to teach smart kids)</p>
<p>Because honors classes are small, are taught by the best profs, and have the best students, it can make attending a public univ seem like an ivy or similar top-top school - without the ivy price. </p>
<p>also, since honors colleges usually let you take honors classes that aren't in your major, that means many or most of your classes will be small and be taught by the best.</p>
<p>As of several years ago, USC offered automatic half tuition to finalists, but also had something called the Presidential scholarship, which was a separate application and interview, awarding full tuition. I'm not sure whether it was even based on NMF.</p>
<p>I wonder whether NMF status will even guarantee admission to USC any more.</p>
<p>This thread shall come in timely for this years NMSF and most likely NMF in 2008. Time to check schools that offer substantial merit sholarships that might also be a fit to your educational and career goal.</p>
<p>Please add to the following list. </p>
<p>Alfred University (if in top 5% of class, full tuition, room, and board)
<a href="https://www.alfred.edu/finaid/freshmen/scholarships.html#merit%5B/url%5D">https://www.alfred.edu/finaid/freshmen/scholarships.html#merit</a> </p>
<p>Andrews University (Michigan) (full tuition)
<a href="http://www.andrews.edu/future/financing/scholarships/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.andrews.edu/future/financing/scholarships/index.html</a> </p>
<p>Arizona State ($12,500 in-state tuition; $21,500 out-of-state tuition)
<a href="http://www.asu.edu/fa/scholarships/freshmen.html#merit-finalist%5B/url%5D">http://www.asu.edu/fa/scholarships/freshmen.html#merit-finalist</a> </p>
<p>Auburn (full tuition, resident and non-resident) <a href="http://www.auburn.edu/scholarship/scholarship-types/resident-freshman-scholarships.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.auburn.edu/scholarship/scholarship-types/resident-freshman-scholarships.html</a>
<a href="http://www.auburn.edu/scholarship/scholarship-types/non-resident-freshman-scholarships.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.auburn.edu/scholarship/scholarship-types/non-resident-freshman-scholarships.html</a> </p>
<p>Baylor (full tuition worth app $22K)<br>
<a href="http://www.baylor.edu/admissions/index.php?id=24812;%5B/url%5D">http://www.baylor.edu/admissions/index.php?id=24812;</a> <a href="http://www.baylor.edu/admissions/index.php?id=24964%5B/url%5D">http://www.baylor.edu/admissions/index.php?id=24964</a></p>
<p>Beloit College ($4K)
<a href="http://www.beloit.edu/%7Eadmiss/finaid/scholarships/founders.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.beloit.edu/~admiss/finaid/scholarships/founders.php</a> </p>
<p>Boston University (1/2 tuition)
<a href="http://www.bu.edu/admissions/apply/scholar_merit.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.bu.edu/admissions/apply/scholar_merit.html</a> </p>
<p>Eastern Kentucky University (in-state tuition, room, and board)
<a href="http://www.scholarships.eku.edu/forms/application_freshman.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.scholarships.eku.edu/forms/application_freshman.pdf</a> </p>
<p>Faulkner University (full tuition)
<a href="http://www.faulkner.edu/services/finaid/scholarships.asp%5B/url%5D">http://www.faulkner.edu/services/finaid/scholarships.asp</a> </p>
<p>Florida Atlantic University ($4K)
<a href="http://www.fau.edu/academic/admissions/freshmanlist.html#natmerachhisfin%5B/url%5D">http://www.fau.edu/academic/admissions/freshmanlist.html#natmerachhisfin</a> </p>
<p>Florida International University ($5K)
<a href="http://admissions.fiu.edu/scholarships.htm%5B/url%5D">http://admissions.fiu.edu/scholarships.htm</a> </p>
<p>Harding University (Arkansas) (minimum award full tuition)
<a href="http://www.harding.edu/finaid/scholarships.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.harding.edu/finaid/scholarships.htm</a> </p>
<p>Macalester College ($2K + $3K)
<a href="http://www.macalester.edu/financialaid/merit.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.macalester.edu/financialaid/merit.html</a></p>
<p>Oklahoma State University (resident, $50K; non-resident, $93K)
<a href="http://www.okstate.edu/finaid/nationalscholars/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.okstate.edu/finaid/nationalscholars/index.html</a> </p>
<p>Pacific Union College (full tuition)
<a href="http://www.puc.edu/PUC/enrollment/finaid/ScholarDisAwd204003.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.puc.edu/PUC/enrollment/finaid/ScholarDisAwd204003.pdf</a> </p>
<p>Rochester Institute of Technology ($14,500 a year)
<a href="http://www.rit.edu/%7E960www/finaidscholarships/meritscholarship.php3%5B/url%5D">http://www.rit.edu/~960www/finaidscholarships/meritscholarship.php3</a></p>
<p>St. Olaf College ($7500 a year)
<a href="http://www.stolaf.edu/services/financialaid/mbfa.html#national%5B/url%5D">http://www.stolaf.edu/services/financialaid/mbfa.html#national</a></p>
<p>Southeast Missouri State (full tuition, room, and board)
<a href="http://www.semo.edu/financing/scholarships.htm#Merit%5B/url%5D">http://www.semo.edu/financing/scholarships.htm#Merit</a></p>
<p>Southern Methodist University (1/2 tuition + $2k)
<a href="http://smu.edu/admission/MeritScholarships.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://smu.edu/admission/MeritScholarships.pdf</a> </p>
<p>Spring Arbor University (Michigan) (full tuition)
<a href="http://www.arbor.edu/contentright.aspx?id=10288%5B/url%5D">http://www.arbor.edu/contentright.aspx?id=10288</a> </p>
<p>Union College (Nebraska) (full tuition, app $14K)
<a href="http://www.ucollege.edu/enroll/pdfs/forms/incomingscholarship.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.ucollege.edu/enroll/pdfs/forms/incomingscholarship.pdf</a> </p>
<p>University of Akron ($6K)
<a href="http://www.uakron.edu/finaid/schlrinfo.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.uakron.edu/finaid/schlrinfo.php</a> </p>
<p>University of Alabama (Full Tuition; Room; $1K; Laptop; Semester Abroad)<br>
<a href="http://scholarships.ua.edu/types/nm.html%5B/url%5D">http://scholarships.ua.edu/types/nm.html</a> </p>
<p>University of Arizona ($12,500 in-state tuition; $20,500 out-of-state tuition
<a href="https://financialaid.arizona.edu/scholarships/awards/National_Merit_Finalist_Award.aspx%5B/url%5D">https://financialaid.arizona.edu/scholarships/awards/National_Merit_Finalist_Award.aspx</a> </p>
<p>University of Dallas ($14K)
<a href="http://www.udallas.edu/admiss/natlmerit.cfm%5B/url%5D">http://www.udallas.edu/admiss/natlmerit.cfm</a> </p>
<p>University of Idaho (full tuition, resident and non-resident, room, and board)
<a href="http://www.uidaho.edu/goidaho/nationalmerit.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.uidaho.edu/goidaho/nationalmerit.html</a> </p>
<p>University of Iowa ($3K)
<a href="http://www.uiowa.edu/admissions/undergrad/costs/frst-yr-fin-aid.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.uiowa.edu/admissions/undergrad/costs/frst-yr-fin-aid.htm</a> </p>
<p>University of Kentucky (in-state tuition; room and board freshman year)
<a href="http://www.uky.edu/AcademicScholarships/nmf.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.uky.edu/AcademicScholarships/nmf.htm</a> </p>
<p>University of Nebraska-Lincoln (full tuition)
<a href="http://www.unl.edu/scholfa/national_merit.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://www.unl.edu/scholfa/national_merit.shtml</a> </p>
<p>University of South Dakota (full tuition, room, and board)
<a href="http://www.usd.edu/finaid/freshmen.cfm%5B/url%5D">http://www.usd.edu/finaid/freshmen.cfm</a> </p>
<p>University of Southern California (1/2 tuition worth $17,900)
<a href="http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/sg/entering_undergrad_meritbased/%5B/url%5D">http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/sg/entering_undergrad_meritbased/</a> </p>
<p>University of South Florida (resident, $10K, semester abroad) (non-resident, full tuition, room, board, laptop, semester abroad)
<a href="http://isis.fastmail.usf.edu/admissions/freshman_scholarships%5B/url%5D">http://isis.fastmail.usf.edu/admissions/freshman_scholarships</a>. </p>
<p>Vanderbilt University (minimum $5K a year)
<a href="http://www.vanderbilt.edu/Admissions/financeMeritAid.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.vanderbilt.edu/Admissions/financeMeritAid.php</a></p>
<p>U of Alabama offers free room and that includes the new honors dorms. We thought that we would have to pay the difference between the much higher cost of the honors dorms and the much cheaper regular dorms. But, as long as my son is in a 4 room suite (each student has his own private room) then the NM scholarship covered the cost. Each suite has 2 bathrooms so he only has to share a bathroom with one person (and the sink area is outside the toilet/shower area - which is a big plus, too.)</p>
<p>The honors dorms are awesome. Each suite has a furnished living room and kitchen with sink, counters, cabinets, full frig, big pantry, and microwave. There is also a dinette set for eating. Down the hall are the 4 bedrooms (each with a full closet) and the 2 bathrooms - which are large. </p>
<p>They truly are like 4 bedroom apartments except that they don't have a stove/oven. However, there are full kitchens (with stoves/ovens) on the dorm floors for the rare times the kids would want to cook/bake something that needs ovens.</p>
<p>USC no longer automatically admits NMSF anymore but they do automatically give the ones that are admitted the half tuition. I was at an info session recently: they also said that as there are no interviews necessary for that particular merit scholarship that NMSF/NMF applicants are not always notified early like some of the other merit aid eligible applicants who are invited to interview for scholarships (before the bulk of acceptances go out).</p>
<p>This is an updated list. Not all scholarships are automatic. Some also include infor for Nat. Ach. finalists and Nat. Hispanic finalists. Check websites for more info. This list is not complete yet as I have only gotten through verifying 1/2 of my reference list so far. :(
Some Colleges with Full Tuition or With At Least $3K Offered </p>
<hr>
<p>Please add to the following list.
Abilene Christian University Guarantee of 100 percent tuition when coordinated with federal, state and other institutional grants.
<a href="http://www.acu.edu/admissions/freshmen/finance/scholarships/#nm%5B/url%5D">http://www.acu.edu/admissions/freshmen/finance/scholarships/#nm</a></p>
<p>Alfred University (if in top 5% of class, full tuition, room, and board)
<a href="https://www.alfred.edu/finaid/freshm...ips.html#merit%5B/url%5D">https://www.alfred.edu/finaid/freshm...ips.html#merit</a> </p>
<p>Andrews University (Michigan) (full tuition)
<a href="http://www.andrews.edu/future/financ...ips/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.andrews.edu/future/financ...ips/index.html</a> </p>
<p>Arizona State ($12,500 in-state tuition; $21,500 out-of-state tuition)
<a href="http://www.asu.edu/fa/scholarships/f...merit-finalist%5B/url%5D">http://www.asu.edu/fa/scholarships/f...merit-finalist</a> </p>
<p>Auburn (full tuition, resident and non-resident) <a href="http://www.auburn.edu/scholarship/sc...olarships.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.auburn.edu/scholarship/sc...olarships.html</a>
<a href="http://www.auburn.edu/scholarship/sc...olarships.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.auburn.edu/scholarship/sc...olarships.html</a> </p>
<p>Baylor (full tuition worth app $22K)
<a href="http://www.baylor.edu/admissions/index.php?id=24812;%5B/url%5D">http://www.baylor.edu/admissions/index.php?id=24812;</a> <a href="http://www.baylor.edu/admissions/index.php?id=24964%5B/url%5D">http://www.baylor.edu/admissions/index.php?id=24964</a></p>
<p>Beloit College ($4K)
<a href="http://www.beloit.edu/%7Eadmiss/finaid...s/founders.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.beloit.edu/~admiss/finaid...s/founders.php</a> </p>
<p>Boston University (1/2 tuition)
<a href="http://www.bu.edu/admissions/apply/scholar_merit.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.bu.edu/admissions/apply/scholar_merit.html</a> </p>
<p>Bowling Green
(Variable number of awards; balance of instructional and general fees plus room and meals)
<a href="http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sfa/pdfforms/06-07_scholarship_guide.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sfa/pdfforms/06-07_scholarship_guide.pdf</a></p>
<p>Eastern Kentucky University (in-state tuition, room, and board)
<a href="http://www.scholarships.eku.edu/form...n_freshman.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.scholarships.eku.edu/form...n_freshman.pdf</a> </p>
<p>Faulkner University (full tuition)
<a href="http://www.faulkner.edu/services/fin...holarships.asp%5B/url%5D">http://www.faulkner.edu/services/fin...holarships.asp</a> </p>
<p>Florida Atlantic University ($4K)
<a href="http://www.fau.edu/academic/admissio...atmerachhisfin%5B/url%5D">http://www.fau.edu/academic/admissio...atmerachhisfin</a> </p>
<p>Florida International University ($5K)
<a href="http://admissions.fiu.edu/scholarships.htm%5B/url%5D">http://admissions.fiu.edu/scholarships.htm</a> </p>
<p>Fordham University (Full tuition less N.Y.S. Scholarship, Tap, Pell and one-half of aid received from all other sources. Presidential and Jesuit awards also include room (excluding board and fees).)
<a href="http://www.fordham.edu/tuition__financial_a/undergraduate_studen/types_of_financial_a/traditional_rose_hil_2158.asp%5B/url%5D">http://www.fordham.edu/tuition__financial_a/undergraduate_studen/types_of_financial_a/traditional_rose_hil_2158.asp</a></p>
<p>Freed Hardeman University (Trustees' scholarship (full-tuition).
<a href="http://web.fhu.edu/Financial+Aid/Scholarships+and+Discounts.htm%5B/url%5D">http://web.fhu.edu/Financial+Aid/Scholarships+and+Discounts.htm</a></p>
<p>Harding University (Arkansas) (minimum award full tuition)
<a href="http://www.harding.edu/finaid/scholarships.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.harding.edu/finaid/scholarships.htm</a> </p>
<p>Henderson State (Arkansas) Board of Trustees' Scholarship: (Tuition, room and board, and $1,000 yearly stipend)
<a href="http://www.hsu.edu/ugccontent.aspx?id=6548%5B/url%5D">http://www.hsu.edu/ugccontent.aspx?id=6548</a></p>
<p>LSU (LSU Alumni Association (Top 100)tuition. fees, more)
<a href="http://www.lsu.edu/departments/financialaid/schlqualifications.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.lsu.edu/departments/financialaid/schlqualifications.htm</a></p>
<p>Macalester College ($2K + $3K)
<a href="http://www.macalester.edu/financialaid/merit.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.macalester.edu/financialaid/merit.html</a></p>
<p>Oklahoma State University (resident, $50K; non-resident, $93K)
<a href="http://www.okstate.edu/finaid/nation...ars/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.okstate.edu/finaid/nation...ars/index.html</a> </p>
<p>Pacific Union College (full tuition)
<a href="http://www.puc.edu/PUC/enrollment/fi...sAwd204003.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.puc.edu/PUC/enrollment/fi...sAwd204003.pdf</a> </p>
<p>Rochester Institute of Technology ($14,500 a year)
<a href="http://www.rit.edu/%7E960www/finaidsch...holarship.php3%5B/url%5D">http://www.rit.edu/~960www/finaidsch...holarship.php3</a></p>
<p>St. Olaf College ($7500 a year)
<a href="http://www.stolaf.edu/services/finan....html#national%5B/url%5D">http://www.stolaf.edu/services/finan....html#national</a></p>
<p>Southeast Missouri State (full tuition, room, and board)
<a href="http://www.semo.edu/financing/scholarships.htm#Merit%5B/url%5D">http://www.semo.edu/financing/scholarships.htm#Merit</a></p>
<p>Southern Methodist University (1/2 tuition + $2k)
<a href="http://smu.edu/admission/MeritScholarships.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://smu.edu/admission/MeritScholarships.pdf</a> </p>
<p>Spring Arbor University (Michigan) (full tuition)
<a href="http://www.arbor.edu/contentright.aspx?id=10288%5B/url%5D">http://www.arbor.edu/contentright.aspx?id=10288</a> </p>
<p>Union College (Nebraska) (full tuition, app $14K)
<a href="http://www.ucollege.edu/enroll/pdfs/...cholarship.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.ucollege.edu/enroll/pdfs/...cholarship.pdf</a> </p>
<p>University of Akron ($6K)
<a href="http://www.uakron.edu/finaid/schlrinfo.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.uakron.edu/finaid/schlrinfo.php</a> </p>
<p>University of Alabama (Full Tuition; Room; $1K; Laptop; Semester Abroad)
<a href="http://scholarships.ua.edu/types/nm.html%5B/url%5D">http://scholarships.ua.edu/types/nm.html</a> </p>
<p>University of Arkansas (BodenhammerFellowship $12,500 per year and out-of-state differential)
catalogofstudies.uark.edu/2006/06<em>03</em>FinAid.pdf</p>
<p>University of Arizona ($12,500 in-state tuition; $20,500 out-of-state tuition
<a href="https://financialaid.arizona.edu/sch...ist_Award.aspx%5B/url%5D">https://financialaid.arizona.edu/sch...ist_Award.aspx</a> </p>
<p>University of Dallas ($14K)
<a href="http://www.udallas.edu/admiss/natlmerit.cfm%5B/url%5D">http://www.udallas.edu/admiss/natlmerit.cfm</a> </p>
<p>University of Houston (tuition, required fees, room, board, and a $250 per semester book stipend)
<a href="http://www.uh.edu/enroll/sfa/scholarships/freshmen/nationalmerit.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.uh.edu/enroll/sfa/scholarships/freshmen/nationalmerit.html</a></p>
<p>University of Idaho (full tuition, resident and non-resident, room, and board)
<a href="http://www.uidaho.edu/goidaho/nationalmerit.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.uidaho.edu/goidaho/nationalmerit.html</a> </p>
<p>University of Iowa ($3K)
<a href="http://www.uiowa.edu/admissions/unde...yr-fin-aid.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.uiowa.edu/admissions/unde...yr-fin-aid.htm</a> </p>
<p>University of Kentucky (in-state tuition; room and board freshman year)
<a href="http://www.uky.edu/AcademicScholarships/nmf.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.uky.edu/AcademicScholarships/nmf.htm</a> </p>
<p>University Minnesota Morris (full-tuition National Merit Scholarship)
<a href="http://www.morris.umn.edu/financialaid/merit1.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.morris.umn.edu/financialaid/merit1.html</a></p>
<p>University of Nebraska-Lincoln (full tuition)
<a href="http://www.unl.edu/scholfa/national_merit.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://www.unl.edu/scholfa/national_merit.shtml</a> </p>
<p>University of South Dakota (full tuition, room, and board)
<a href="http://www.usd.edu/finaid/freshmen.cfm%5B/url%5D">http://www.usd.edu/finaid/freshmen.cfm</a> </p>
<p>University of South Florida (resident, $10K, semester abroad) (non-resident, full tuition, room, board, laptop, semester abroad)
<a href="http://isis.fastmail.usf.edu/admissi...n_scholarships%5B/url%5D">http://isis.fastmail.usf.edu/admissi...n_scholarships</a>. </p>
<p>University of Southern California (1/2 tuition worth $17,900)
<a href="http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/sg/e...ad_meritbased/%5B/url%5D">http://www.usc.edu/admission/fa/sg/e...ad_meritbased/</a> </p>
<p>University of Southern Mississippi (Presidential National Merit Scholarship, which is designed to cover the cost of attendance for four years. This includes tuition, out-of-state fees (if applicable), room, board, and a book stipend (approximately $43,000 for in-state students))
<a href="http://www.usm.edu/admissions/freshmen/freshmenscholarships.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.usm.edu/admissions/freshmen/freshmenscholarships.php</a></p>
<p>UT Dallas (eight semesters of support for tuition and mandatory fees, a $2,500 cash award per semester ($5,000 per year) via a combination of U.T. Dallas's Academic Excellence Scholarship funds and an NMSC Scholarship, and a $1,000 per year contribution toward rental expenses at the Waterview park student apartment complex)
<a href="http://www.utdallas.edu/dept/ugraddean/aesprogram.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.utdallas.edu/dept/ugraddean/aesprogram.html</a></p>
<p>University of Tulsa (Full tuition and basic room and board for four years)
<a href="http://www.utulsa.edu/presidentialscholars/scholarship/%5B/url%5D">http://www.utulsa.edu/presidentialscholars/scholarship/</a></p>
<p>Vanderbilt University (minimum $5K a year)
<a href="http://www.vanderbilt.edu/Admissions...ceMeritAid.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.vanderbilt.edu/Admissions...ceMeritAid.php</a></p>
<p>Willamette University ($15,000 per year for a maximum of four years. With financial need (as determined by the FAFSA), scholarships range from $15,000 to full tuition.)
<a href="http://www.willamette.edu/dept/finaid/scholarships.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.willamette.edu/dept/finaid/scholarships.htm</a></p>
<p>Wright State University (OH) (in-state tuition, room/board, and books; renewable for four years.)
<a href="http://homepage.mac.com/l_j/secondhome/National_Merit.html%5B/url%5D">http://homepage.mac.com/l_j/secondhome/National_Merit.html</a></p>
<p>I don't think Vanderbilt is "minimum $5K per year". The standard NMF stipend is 5K/year, but if a significant merit scholarship unrelated to NMF status is offered by Vanderbilt, the NMF stipend is reduced to 2K per year. There are a lot of merit scholarships in addition to the National Merit-based one, but I don't think there are any instances in which the automatic NM stipend itself is greater than 5K per year.</p>
<p>Just wanted to add...</p>
<p>My son got his laptop last month as part of his NMF scholarship (He's at U of AL). It's a Dell and it's worth over $2300. This was a surprise because the scholarship said that the laptop would be worth $1500. Because the school had around 110 NMFs this year, they sent out letters saying that they were able to negotiate much better laptops this year. </p>
<p>Plus, Dell provided each kid with a laptop backpack with the school's emblem embroidered on it. Another cost savings :) I quickly returned the $40 Swiss Army laptop backpack that I had bought at Sams Club :)</p>
<p>It was just a nice extra knowing that the kids were given such high quality laptops that just might make it thru all four years. :)</p>
<p>You may want to reword the scholarship for Arizona state. The way it is written above it sounds like the in-state tuition is $12,500 and out of state is 21,500. </p>
<p>In reality, the tuition is much less (less than 5k per year for instate and less than $17k for out of state), so the scholarship ends up covering more than just tuition. In state students have $7500 to spend on room, board, etc and out of staters have about $4500. </p>
<p>You might want to change the wording to something like:<br>
$12,500 scholarship for in-state students for 4 years
$21,500 scholarship for out-of-state students for 4 years</p>
<p>Similarly, a wording change is needed for for U of Az (altho U of Az gives a thousand dollars less to out of staters)</p>
<p>I found this from the UMass Amherst's web site: "UMass Amherst will award scholarships up to the full amount of tuition, fees, room, and board to a select number of National Merit and National Achievement finalists." This might worth for someone to check it out.</p>
<p>Leungpy1</p>
<p>That sounds great.... Since the number selected is limited, are they taking apps right away? It probably is an advantage to apply early.</p>
<p>Since the wording is "up to", I wonder if you can find out how many get "full rides," how many get just "full tuition", etc and if there are any "benchmarks" (such as those NMF that also have XXX GPA's and YYYY SAT scores are more likely to get full rides).</p>
<p>Was there any indication whether out of staters could qualify/apply? If so, does $$$ cover the OOS fees, too?</p>
<p>Ball State offers a "full-ride". Also, there is a full tuition & fees one at Purdue for in-state, see here <a href="http://www.purdue.edu/Admissions/Undergrad/costs/merit_scholarships.shtml#univerTable%5B/url%5D">http://www.purdue.edu/Admissions/Undergrad/costs/merit_scholarships.shtml#univerTable</a>
for more details</p>
<p>Here are the links for the Arizona State National Merit/Hispanic/Achivement finalist scholarships</p>
<p>Since UMass Amherst is part of the Five Colleges, Incorporated, the NMF scholarship might be a low cost alternative to some students that might otherwise interested only in the LAC's there. I believe it is a competitive scholarship and NMF status alone will not necessary guarantee a Full Ride.</p>