<p>Got a quick question for anyone with insight on the merit aid decision process at Rice: Does Rice, specifically the merit aid decision-makers, care at all about being designated the "school of choice" by National Merit Finalists? </p>
<p>Background: Rice is my son's #1, top choice. We are hoping for some merit aid from Rice to help with affordability. Son is a National Merit Finalist, and needs to select his school of choice by March 1st. One of his other prospective schools - probably his #3 choice overall offers full tuition scholarships for NMFs who designate them as their school of choice with National Merit Corp by the March 1st deadline. So the question is: Does the National Merit school of choice designation affect the Rice decision on merit aid? Do they even care at all about the National Merit school selection? Would appreciate "good guesses" in lieu of actual insight.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any helpful advice you can provide!</p>
<p>I <em>think</em> Rice wants to be designated school of choice to give the scholarship. I’m in the same situation–Rice is my number one, but I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket when I don’t know my acceptance status. I’ve declared myself “undecided”–you can change to a school of choice from undecided until the end of May, I believe. This way, if I get into Rice, I can immediately designate them as my school of choice. If I don’t, I can designate whatever school becomes my top choice at that point. Win-win. :D</p>
<p>The National Merit scholarship at Rice ($1000 renewable for 4 years) is certainly nice, but we are most concerned with adversely affecting chances for admission or for a Trustee’s Distinguished /Century Scholarship.</p>
<p>The other school wants to be officially selected as the “school of choice” with the National Merit Corporation by March 1st as a firm eligibility requirement for their scholarship. We don’t want that designation sending the message that Rice is not his top choice, because it is. </p>
<p>I’m just not sure the Rice admissions / scholarship decision-makers care about National Merit “school of choice” designation. Looking for some feedback on that topic, especially from current Rice students who were NMFs.</p>
<p>I would call and ask. I believe that Rice guarantees all accepted NMF’s a scholarship, regardless of when you declare them first choice. In that case, it would be beneficial to specify the automatic free-ride school the “first choice”, and switch it to Rice if student gets in and decides to attend- after April 1. I don’t think it will influence Rice’s decision to accept or deny student at all… but call and ask.</p>
<p>Alyeska, checking our NMF letter dated 2/8/11, the deadline is MAY 31, not March 1. The College Board BEGINS notifying colleges March 1, but continues a Rolling notification until May 31 (see box on back of letter). There is NO reason to feel pressure to commit by March 1st. Do not risk throwing your NMF vote to a college that ultimately does not offer a price you can afford. (I remember a post from a Dad on CC who lost their NMF money by declaring with Rice before seeing Rice’s FA package, and so the daughter went elsewhere but lost the NMF option at the other college.)</p>
<p>Save your yellow card, and mail it May 1st when you send the deposit to the final choice college!</p>
<p>I’m not sure anyone has really answered the OP’s question:</p>
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<p>OP isn’t asking specifically about the NM Scholarship that Rice offers, but whether they care about being designated as #1 choice on March 1st as a way to show love, and whether this could potentially lead to a larger merit aid package.</p>
<p>We have the same question. Can anyone answer?</p>
<p>The question is: Does Rice want to see a student’s name on the March 1st list? Do they care that a student has selected Rice as the #1 choice during the first round, and will the student potentially be rewarded with admission/more merit aid?</p>
<p>IIRC, there is a second list that goes out but if you want Rice to know you have made them your first choice you should notify them. Doubt it affects other aid moneys</p>
<p>givings - thanks for picking up the quest for an answer while I was away!</p>
<p>The full-tuition scholarship at the other school REQUIRES that the student select that institution as the “school of choice” with the National Merit Corp by the FIRST roster deadline (which is March 1st). If my son wants to stay in the competition for this generous scholarship, he CANNOT stay “undecided” on March 1st. He must designate that school my March 1st, and maintain that designation through the end of March. Scholarship notification is on April 1st.</p>
<p>After April 1st, he can change the school of choice to “undecided” or to Rice, if he is going to decline the other school’s offer. By then, however, all of the admissions / merit aid decisions have obviously been made.</p>
<p>So the question is: Does having another school designated at the National Merit “school of choice” throughout the month of March hurt one’s prospects for admission / merit aid at Rice. This may be a case of parental hyper-anxiety, but I wouldn’t want Rice to incorrectly conclude that the “other school” is actually my son’s #1 choice. </p>
<p>So far we have one vote for “I doubt it” (Antarius) and one vote for “call Rice Admissions to ask” (anxiousmom). I’m leaning toward making the call but would appreciate any other thoughts - particularly from a Rice student who was a NMF, and perhaps dealth with the same dilemma.</p>
<p>The school that REQUIRES selection by March 1st certainly has strong arms! Why are they trying to rush/force the decision? I am sorry that you have this extra stress at this already stressful time.</p>
<p>I would be concerned about being able to “undo” the first choice designation via the postcard method the College Board uses in time for the chosen school deadline if you switch. </p>
<p>You may have to phone Rice to get the answer to this specific question. At Rice 20% of freshmen are NMF, so they care about it in the admission decision, but it is another question if they care about the commitment aspect for merit aid, especially with only a $1K NMF award. Did he list that other college (that requires notification) on his application list of other schools he was applying to. Colleges know better than us which of them is likely to offer what to who.</p>
<p>Would Rice even know that there was another college designated for 30 days, given that these things are all communicated via data downloads and uploads, with all of the associated technical delays?</p>
<p>I vote for both: I doubt it AND phone to clarify.</p>
<p>YOu can fax the postcared in to NM, so keep the original at your house, write the school choice (if you feel you must make it) in pencil on the postcard, tape it to a piece of paper and fax it. Then when you want to change it, call them and tell them you are re-faxing.</p>
<p>My daughter was a national merit WINNER and received ZERO DOLLARS in merit aid from Rice, which she now attends. My screen name ricefan was selected prior to this.</p>
<p>We had been told by Rice reps repeatedly to list Rice as first choice to no avail. I think they get credit or some credibility when kids list them as first choice.</p>
<p>We mistakenly passed over other schools offering full tuition by believing there would be some financial award for someone who was a winner and had all the other credentials as well.</p>
<p>We did not need aid based on finances but when travel and the rest is added in we are spending well over 50 Grand a year.</p>
<p>Based on their constant nagging that we list them first and then ending up with nothing we feel deceived and used.</p>
<p>Rice is a great school but the financial awards are not there based on merit. This is not a unique story. My child has encountered many kids with many similar stories. Presumably there is an exception to this that someone will point out but it is not the rule.</p>
<p>They do seem to meet need by using the so called “merit” awards. So if need is the issue they are competitive with other schools. But don’t wait for more than that.</p>
<p>They did not feel the need to explain this to me. They did tell me that the Nat’l merit award was not a guarantee just one among the others offered. A semifinalist does not automatically receive the award.
They said it was not guaranteed, even though they push so hard and truly verbally claim you will get the money, at least they did for us.
National merit winners are eligible for one award only but I called the national merit people who tell me that colleges will find another way to give you that money.
National Merit winners receive a $2500 one time award, which is less than the $1000/yr rice claims to offer semi-finalists, so that $2500 would qualify as the one award.
The rice financial aid actually laughed at me when I pointed out that it was less and restated what I was told by the folks at National Merit.
It is the one very disappointing aspect of Rice. It will also keep us from ever donating to the school. Let me tell you they would have otherwise received more from us in donations than we ever would have received in merit aid.</p>
<p>They also told me that they get “a lot of calls like this”, which I took to mean unhappy Nat’l Merit winners and semi-finalists.
Based on discussions with fellow students we feel these award are used to fill financial need. However I am sure someone will point out the exception.</p>
<p>I am a little confused. Your daughter was a National merit finalist, not semifinalist, yes? I thought Rice guaranteed the $1000/yr (it was $750 when my DS got it) to NM finalists. I thought it was automatic, but I see on the website it says all students are “considered” for merit based scholarships. Most schools do not offer scholarships for semifinalist status, though, just for finalist.</p>
<p>** crossposted with antarius. Did your dau get the one time $2500 from National Merit? Antarius is correct-- its one or the other, not both.</p>