<p>I was just informed that I will receive a $2500 one time award from the national merit scholarship corporation.
Approximately how many kids get these specific awards? I know that total finalist number is about 15,000 kids.
Does it mean my application was really strong, or is it a pretty random selection process?
Finally, does this preclude me from receiving college-sponsored awards for national merit finalists?</p>
<p>Thanks to you knowledgeable people...</p>
<p>It's around half of the finalists that get the actual national merit scholarship. yes, it means your application was particularly strong (good job!). and yes, because you received this, you are not eligible to receive any college-sponsored national merit awards.</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply.
One more question: I know that one of my top choices, Oberlin, supposedly gives a couple thousand dollars (I think) to finalists. Is this technically a 'college sponsored national merit award' or just something they do on the side? Maybe for the final three years at the college?</p>
<p>There are 2500 finalists who get the $2500 NMSC scholarship. And you should be proud of yourself. Good job! You can only receive one scholarship from NMSC, so you cannot get a NMSC "college-sponsored" scholarship, of which there are about 4600. Nor can you get a NMSC "coporate-sponsored" scholarship, of which there are very few. (The total for the 3 groups is about 8200 NMSC scholarships selected from the pool of 15,000 finalists.) However, many colleges & universities award merit aid to NMSC Scholars in addition to what the finalist might have received from the NMSC. Thus your $2500 NMSC scholarship in no way excludes you from receiving additional merit aid. That aid just would not be going thru the NMSC funnel.</p>
<p>Congratulations! I got a corporate sponsored one for about the same amount. I know you can't get any college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships if you accept another one, but colleges themselves can offer money to students outside of the actual NMSC program. For example, UT-Austin and Arizona State kept sending me info back in the Winter, and they were offering pretty much full rides for National Merit Finalists. The Oberlin one looks like you would be able to get that in addition to your NMSC award.</p>