<p>"Beginning in late February, the National Achievement® Program notifies about 800 Finalists that they have been selected to receive a National Achievement Scholarship. Two types of Achievement Scholarship awards are offered..."</p>
<p>Regarding the corporate and $2500 awards referenced above, has anyone been notified?</p>
<p>Also, does anyone know why the Merit Corp. offers just the two aforementioned financial awards for National Achievement Finalist but a third award possibility (•College-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards) for National Merit Finalist? </p>
<p>Next question: Have any of your students chosen, as a back up or even first choice, a college that will give them a substantial scholarship for their Finalist status? Our child will likely keep Northeastern (30k + honors program and honor housing) on the table as an option as she awaits regular decision results and aid packages. A friend's child is taking the 'Bama scholarship unless he gets into an Ivy. Even then, he may go to Bama because of the 5 years full tuition (he is hoping to get a year of graduate school out of Finalist on top of all of the other perks). The parents can cover room and boar so this would leave him with no loans and no financial worries each year with financial aid.</p>
<p>My D received notice she was a finalist in January, but no other notifications to date. She has not applied anywhere that specifically rewards NA winners. Right now she has acceptance to Tulane with a $28k annual Founders Scholarship, so that’s on the back burner.</p>
<p>Congrats to your D Picktails!</p>
<p>I don’t expect that s will receive the 2,500 NMS scholarship. His stats are on the low low side for finalist.
He has narrowed it down to a full tuition offer thanks to national achievement or state flagship. (Honors)
He is still waiting on a LAC acceptance and scholarship info from 2 state schools. </p>
<p>I am in no way certain that our child will receive the $2500 scholarship either. If so, it will be a nice surprise. If not, we remain thankful for the other opportunities NAF/NASF have provided. We also have discovered that some colleges that provide Merit aid would ‘take’ the $2500 anyway to offset the merit aid they are providing. One small LAC takes the full amount to offset your other merit aid. Fordham, I believe, will take 1/2 of any additional scholarships to off set the full tuition merit scholarship and apply the other half to your remaining cost. Still, as they are giving over 43 thousand per year, taking 1/2 of the $2500 NMS would be just fine. I am not sure about Northeastern, but that is the least ‘attractive’ of the NAF awards we have available as it is $30,000 a year but tuition and fees (plus room and board) are well, well above that and they do not promise to meet full need. </p>
<p>We really had no idea what a gift NASF/NAF was until we started to realize how hard it is to get full tuition merit scholarships from quality schools and how many schools (Haverford, Wesleyan, etc.) do not provide any merit aid. For those with a somewhat high EFC, those schools might just be out of reach. </p>
<p>None of the top tier or ivies award merit aid. But to compensate they do usually have the most generous FA! Time will tell as we get closer to decision days…</p>
<p>Has anyone been notified that of National Achievement Scholar status and winning $2500 scholarship?</p>
<p>I got a letter in the mail today, awarding me with the $2500 scholarship.</p>
<p>Is the award only $2500 for one year? </p>
<p>My son got his letter yesterday! YAY!! Proud mama here!</p>
<p>Yes, this is a one-time $2500 award.</p>
<p>On another board this was posted:
“…both NMF and NA scholarships are still available. The app is very easy…no essays, no LORs needed. Takes like 5 minutes.”
So, for NAF who do not have a financial safety, this is still a good option. Full tuition for 5 years. You would pay, just room for 4 years and room and board for 3. Not sure if Howard, UofKentucky and some other full rides are still available or not. </p>
<p>And on another note, congratulations to @jazzpno and @qt314aaa on receiving the finalist financial award!</p>
<p>My D just got a letter today that she will not receive the scholarship, kind of bummed. Did it really take this long from notifying winners in early March to decide them all?</p>