<p>Is there any reason to send the card in naming a first choice college, if you are attendiing a college that does not give scholarships on the basis of National Merit status? For example, Harvard, MIT or a service academy?</p>
<p>There is a difference between being a National merit Finalist and one that wins awards as a National Merit Scholar (a thousand or so from them). Some ‘elite’ colleges will match the award but it varies from year to year for the few that consider it. </p>
<p>In a blunt answer to your question… No… Probably not. If you need a backup for financial reasons, Havard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Duke, and those that consider themselves as high liberal arts colleges like Davidson, Vanderbilt, Emory, Rice (Rice does give a thousand or two)… are not the way to go. If you already wanted to go to a place and made up your mind and they give or match a little money… Go for it (making a 1st choice determination).</p>