<p>My son turned in some Common App applications along with schools who don't use the Common App, without noting anywhere that he was a National Achievement Semifinalist. Around the same time Alabama sent us letters congratulating him on his status, and that's how we found out about their generous scholarships.</p>
<p>So my question is, the colleges where he applied early, do they compare applicants to lists of semi finalists then finalists, etc or will they typically only find out if you self report? I'm guessing they just know like Alabama knew. He hasn't applied there yet but will. Just wondering:-)</p>
<p>Congratulations to your son in regards to becoming a NASF. I hope he’s applied to Alabama because many NA finalists attend the school and the award is generous. It would be a good safety for your son. And, if your son is an Engineering major or CS major, he would get an add’l 2500 per year on top of that great NA scholarship. </p>
<p>As for the other schools…are you asking if adcoms will automatically take his application and then look to see if he’s on the NASF list? I don’t think it works that way. That said, I don’t know if schools that are interested in recruiting NA and NMF students have the info uploaded into their system and when name/addresses match the list there is a trigger of some sort. </p>
<p>Yes Alabama knew he was a semifinalist as they invited him to an event and we got numerous snail mail letters and emails from them congratulating as such. Yes he did apply…but a few EA schools he had already applied to before he knew he was a semi finalist (one he was already accepted to and waiting to hear on three others)…I’m wondering if we should be emailing his specific admissions counselor telling them this or do each of the colleges check a list?</p>
<p>I know they receive tons of mail and is that a horn to toot that doesn’t need to be tooted?</p>