<p>Not sure if anyone has mentioned this one… Westminster College in Utah sent geek_son an unsolicited letter offering half tuition after NMSFs were announced, and promised to double it when he made NMF. Colorado School of Mines was very generous too, but didn’t identify the merit aid as NM specifically.</p>
<p>There’s another thread around here somewhere that lists many, many colleges (both public and private) that offer full rides or considerable aid for NMSF/NMF.</p>
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[QUOTE=husker]
Does anyone know if Uinversity Texas Austin offers National Merit Finalists any type of schloarships?
[/quote]
[Plan</a> II Honors Program](<a href=“http://www.utexas.edu/cola/progs/plan2/applicants/financial_aid/]Plan”>http://www.utexas.edu/cola/progs/plan2/applicants/financial_aid/)</p>
<p>from what jlauer95 said (“The only times I have EVER heard of a SF not becoming a finalist have been when the kids have bad grades, didn’t take the SAT or did badly on it, didn’t do the paperwork, and/or was a discipline problem at school and couldn’t get the rec from principal.”)…</p>
<p>How badly is “badly” on the SAT? If i got 231 on the PSAT and got 2210 on the actual SAT, would that be okay?</p>
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[QUOTE=CueTheSun]
If i got 231 on the PSAT and got 2210 on the actual SAT, would that be okay?
[/quote]
None of us knows what next year’s slate will look like – but in past years, yes, that would definitely be ok. According to past threads, unweighted GPA (below 3.5 or so) seems to be the bigger stumbling block for CC students.</p>
<p>Do UC’s offer any scholarships for finalists/winners? UCSD in specific?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>^^^^^^</p>
<p>My niece is a NMF at UC San Diego. UCSD doesn’t have a NMF scholarship per se…but she was given $2500 from some Alumni club at UCSD. I think that was a one-time award. </p>
<p>The UC’s are notorious for not rewarding merit…they’re pretty much a “need-based” kind of system. Those who make the decisions are too worried that some rich kid is going to get some merit money at the expense of a need kid.</p>
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<p>When my DS1 and his classmates went thru the NMSF-NMF process, we were told that anything over a 2000 was acceptable. One of DS1’s friend barely made a 2000, and he made NMF. A 2210 is plenty good enough… They aren’t looking to see if you’ve improved from your 231 PSAT.</p>
<p>Interesting note…one of DS2’s classmates didn’t make NMF even though he had stellar everything, including a 235 PSAT… His big mistake was being sarcastic and cynical in his essay. I don’t know exactly what he wrote, but the rumor was that he criticized the NM process. I guess his parents didn’t preview his essay. The school’s counselor was told that she now has to review these essays before submittal. The school was annoyed.</p>
<p>I haven’t gone thru all the pages (who would!! LOL), so I don’t know if this has been mentioned on this thread…</p>
<p>The University of Alabama is home to more than 550 National Merit Finalists, National Achievement Finalists, and National Hispanic Scholars. The University of Alabama continues to attract some of the nation’s most talented students, ranking 11th among the nation’s 629 public universities in the enrollment of National Merit Scholars for 2008-2009 and 28th among the more than 2,400 public and private universities nationwide.* </p>
<p>You must be admitted by December 1 of your senior year in high school to be considered for this scholarship (this would include completing the application for admission as well as the scholarship application).</p>
<p>National Merit Finalist
Value of tuition in-state or out-of-state for 4 years
4 years of on-campus housing at regular room rate* (including the new Honors Housing)
$1,000 per year University National Merit/Achievement Scholarship for 4 years
One time allowance of $2,000 for use in summer research or international study (after completing one year of study at UA)
Laptop computer** </p>
<p>My DS1 accepted this scholarship and he’s very happy. He’s a junior (really a senior by AP Credits), and was accepted into UA exclusive Computer-Based Honors Program (only 40 students accepted into CBHP).</p>
<p>In the honors dorms, students are given private rooms that are grouped in a 4 bedroom suite that has a living rm, kitchenette, and 2 bathrooms. Kind of like apartement living. They are new and very nice.</p>
<p>UA’s campus is amazing and the academics are strong. Take an Virtual Tour… [Virtual</a> Campus Tour - The University of Alabama](<a href=“Page Not Found | The University of Alabama”>Page Not Found | The University of Alabama) I recommend viewing in Full Screen. Use your mouse to move around. Click on the lower pics for more UA buildings and such. </p>
<p>Here are some links to some campus landmarks… [Campus</a> Landmarks - The University of Alabama](<a href=“Page Not Found | The University of Alabama”>Page Not Found | The University of Alabama) Scroll down and click on some building names. Shelby Hall is one of the newest buildings…it’s part of the new Engineering and Science Complex.</p>
<p>crap…okay so if I have a 3.91 unweighted GPA but got a C+ junior year, how safe am I?</p>
<p>To answer post # 145: UC’s do not offer any scholarship to NMF. To Skywalker23: 3.91 UW GPA is very safe, no worry.</p>
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<p>You’re fine. They aren’t going to like seeing D’s or F’s for semester or year-end grades.</p>
<p>BTW…was that C+ a quarter grade, a semester grade, or a year-end grade? Your school’s transcript doesn’t likely include quarter grades; it may only include semester grades or year-end grades (my kids’ school only put year-end grades on the transcript, so it’s very easy to “hide” a lowish quarter grade. LOL</p>
<p>Skywalker…are you looking for a free ride? Where do you want to go to college?</p>
<p>Bumping this thread now that PSAT results are coming out for class of 2011–if you’re likely to be a Semifinalist/Finalist, it’d be helpful to have an updated list (merit awards may have shrunk in the past year due to the economy).</p>
<p>Please see Keilexandra’s excellent, updated list about NMF scholarships here:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html</a></p>
<p>What type/amount of merit aid were you offered? Was it based on sat/act scores? Specifically for Cockrell School of Engineering. Purdue on its website gives up to $10,000
for out of state students with Act above 30. UT is not specific in fact they are very vague about merit aid.</p>
<p>UT Austin no longer gives NMF scholarships.</p>
<p>My daughter visited U of Oklahoma with other juniors (all hopeful for NMF status) – their national scholars staff was great (spent personal time with every one of us), gave a super tour of the campus, escorted every student to appointments with instructors/advisers related to their indicated academic interest, gave her (AND HER MOM) a free lunch in a wonderful dining area (called Couches Restaurants – new and very good), showed us dorm rooms in their regular dorms and the honors residence hall, and finished with a nice overview of the honors college. We met current honors students, and a lot of very friendly faculty who genuinely wanted to be helpful. U of O offers a full tuition NMF award. This experience was a sharp contrast to the mediocre presentation at U of Chicago, where our tour was simply DREADFUL, and the mock college lecture (billed as a “master class”) put several kids asleep. The lecture was also ill-planned; the room chosen for the class my daughter attended was far too small for the number of kids participating, and they had to turn away a lot of kids and parents who were forced to move on to another choice. U of C only offers 2K to NMFs anyway, and considering the cost and difficulty in just getting in, we are deeming it not a terribly realistic option. If you are really interested in a lucrative NMF scholarship, look closely at the state universities. They are happy to have you attend. Keilexandra’s list is tremendously helpful. (link previously listed) View that list, and hope that funds don’t get eliminated at these institutions.</p>
<p>I have always thought that unless you are in love with the elite college experience, its best to take the free tuition at an up-and-coming public school and just list “National Merit Finalist” on your resume. If anyone asks tell them you went to … because you got a free tuition.</p>
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<p>Netthreat, that’s that approach I am taking.</p>
<p>I will do well wherever I go and, in the end, I will come out with no debt and cash in pocket to pay for graduate school.</p>
<p>People get enamored with “brand names” and lose sight of the big picture.</p>
<p>Besides, once you get through grad school, your undergrad school becomes irrelevant.</p>
<p>Very true. My son’s surgeon went to Duke for med school. He did his residency at Mayo. No one cares that he went to 4th tier undergrad.</p>
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<p>The mention of Oklahoma and state universities reminds me to give a plug for the University of Tulsa. It’s a small, *private *university with a very nice campus and Division I sports—a unique combination—and although my son didn’t care for it, I think most parents would be pleased to send their kids their for four years.</p>
<p>This parent, by the way, is sending his kid to a state university with a big NMF scholarship, and is thrilled. :)</p>