My d is a National Merit Finalist and has also been awarded the National Merit $2500 Scholarship. She needs to accept or decline this scholarship money by Apr 6 2020. If she accepts this money from NMSC, will she still be awarded the 1/2 tuition by University of Southern California? Please help. I am not able to talk to anyone at NMSC because of Covid19 and no one at USC Financial Aid office can give me a definitive answer.
USC awards 50% Presidential Scholarships to NMSF that listed USC as their choice through NMS and were admitted. Those letters came out a couple days ago and are in the portal. I believe the $2,500 is also allowed as that comes separately. At worst it would be deducted from the half tuition though I don’t think so. I would accept it.
That means that your daughter is not a Finalist, but a National Merit Scholar. Congratulations!
As far as I understand, that money is independent of any other scholarships that colleges provide to National Merit finalists and scholars.
Congratulations! Can you tell us how she found out, and when, please?
I do not work for USC so please confirm with them but when I asked at Explore USC, I was told that NMSC scholarships do not impact the Presidential Scholarship.
@fretfulmother NMF who received the $2500 scholarship from NMSC were notified by email last Thursday. My understanding is that if your child is a NMF who did not get the NMSC $2500 but who lists USC as #1 by the May deadline, USC will give them a National Merit Scholar scholarship of $1000 per year in addition to any other merit scholarship.
@lkg4answers - thank you!! I didn’t hear anything from DS but honestly I don’t know how much he’s checking email during this “school at home”. My older son did get the NMSC award which was very helpful.
"My d is a National Merit Finalist and has also been awarded the National Merit $2500 Scholarship. She needs to accept or decline this scholarship money by Apr 6 2020. If she accepts this money from NMSC, will she still be awarded the 1/2 tuition by University of Southern California? "
@floridamum
YES she will, but ONLY if she accept admission to USC AND designates USC as her first choice by the NMSF Mid May deadline! So make sure she does both if her intention is to go to USC. Congrats!
Thank you