<p>It seems like they designate it to the college that you listed on the application or on the yellow card that you could mail or fax in (I put down UC Berkeley, which is not a National Merit sponsor, so that I could get the $2,500 instead of a college-specific award). Fortunately for those who want to change their minds, a form is included to let you change your choice. Anyway, congratulations to those who received it!</p>
<p>I need someone to clarify National Merit procedures. I know that 1) National Merit Scholarships are transferable to all relevant institutions. 2) College-sponsored Merit Scholarships are not transferable. 3) A winner of a College-sponsored Merit Scholarship is not eligible for corporation-sponsored scholarships or a National Merit Scholarship. 4) Finalists need to designate a first-choice college. So say I put down Merit Sponsoring College A as my first choice. I win their scholarship. I decide instead to go to Non-Merit Sponsoring College B. Is there a time-frame available for me to get that $2500 National Merit Scholarship to help pay for college B?</p>
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Is there a time-frame available for me to get that $2500 National Merit Scholarship to help pay for college B?
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<p>I think so. I remember it being sometime in early to mid April. At least I hope so. I got my letter today for the State Farm scholarship, but I got waitlisted at the school i chose, so I hope I can still change it.</p>
<p>I don't think you can because the 2500 $2,500 scholarships have already been allocated. I don't really know for sure, though, so you may be better off asking on the financial aid forum.</p>
<p>for those of you who got it, what PSAT score did u get and what "application" did u have to fill out afterward</p>
<p>Do those who don't get the scholarship get letters so advising them of their status or do only Nat'l Merit Scholars get the letters?</p>
<p>So does that mean that you have already received your $2500 letter in the mail?</p>
<p>Yeah, the letter arrived today. My PSAT score was low 220s, so I think as long as you make the cutoff, they disregard your PSAT score and then look at GPA, SAT, extracurriculars, awards, and the essay to make a decision. The application from which they get this information is an application that you get when you are notified of semifinalist status.</p>
<p>SQL do you know the answer to my question?</p>
<p>your technically not supposed to say anything.</p>
<p>"The" letter didn't arrive today. YOUR letter arrived today.</p>
<p>Since we don't know who each of the other of us are what does it matter if we discus the issue? I also haven't heard from any of you if you know if award and no award letters go out or just award letters. Congratulations to the recipients. If you guys don't know the answer to my question that would be a good reply also.</p>
<p>Ok, fine, my letter arrived today.</p>
<p>I just re-read it and yes, it says that it's supposed to be kept a secret until May 2, but I don't see why it makes a difference if a random person on the Internet claims to have gotten a letter.</p>
<p>danalynne: NMS winners are notified in March and those who don't get it "will be informed in mi-May, after most selections have been completed, " according to the Finalist letter.</p>
<p>The $2500 awards are offered before the College sponsored ones.
In the Information About the Merit Scholarship Competition (came with the semifinalist packet), at page 3, it says: "To be considered for a college-sponsored award, a Finalist must meet all three of the following conditions. The Finalist: *must have notified NMSC that the sponsor college is his or her first choice; * must have applied for admission to that institution; and *must NOT have been offered any other Merit Scholarship award." This seems to say that you cannot turn down the $2500 one-time award in favor of a college-sponsored award. But the information sheet also says that "[w]ithin limits of $500 to $2,000 per year, college officials wil set each winner's Merit Scholarship stipend, using financial information filed with the institution." So is not clear that the college would be precluded from giving awards beyond that based on NMS status -- for example schools like USC that give half-tuition scholarships (worth about $16,000 annually).</p>
<p>If my memory serves me, there should be a card in with your letter that tells you how to change your first choice school.</p>
<p>anxiousmom, yes there is a card allowing you to change the first choice school. As others have said, it's not a check (as it may have been in previous years) but a credit towards the tuition of your selected school. I had chosen USC because of their $18,000/year, but I can now change it to another school that I've chosen to attend.</p>
<p>2 of the schools I applied to (USC and UChicago) are sponsors, but I decided to not pick one as my first choice until I figure out which one I'm going to, so right now my first choice school is "undecided." If I become a winner of some sort, would NMS just send me the 2500 offer? Then I'd be so screwed cause I can get the USC half tuition thing, but I wouldn't be able to because NMS would have already sent me the 2500 offer.</p>
<p>I thought the deadline to pick first choice school was like May 1st or something. o.O</p>
<p>Also, do we get to change it only once? Cause I started out with Chicago as my 1st choice, then I used the card to change it to undecided, and if I end up going to USC, then I'd have to change it again.</p>
<p>**may 31st</p>
<p>Wait, so if I got a $2500 scholarship, I would no longer be able to turn it down if I choose to get a college sponsored scholarship?</p>