@momcatof4 and your D’s college does not offer a scholarship for NM?
Homerdog, this is from the National Merit website:
“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 National Merit
Scholarship.”
Thus, it sounds to me like you can only get the college-sponsored award if you have not been offered any other National Merit Scholarship. That said, it would be crazy if getting one of the $2,500 awards precluded you from accepting a much larger school-sponsored award. I would hope that in that situation, you get to accept the higher scholarship amount.
@homerdog Not from NMSC. A near COA merit scholarship for NMFs from the school itself.
Ha! It’s just a letter saying he did NOT get any additional scholarships and that he’s listed Bowdoin as his first choice school. So I guess everyone will receive a letter even if they are not getting a scholarship.
That’s honestly kind of cruel. I checked my informed delivery and I’m receiving a letter from them today as well down in Houston. Hoping for the best.
It’s ok. I’d rather have the $5000 from Bowdoin over four years than a one time $2500 award.
True. You’re getting the better end of the deal.
Ah! @homerdog Then Bowdoin is one of the schools that doesn’t give a NM-sponsored scholarship but gives NMF something themselves. My D chose one of those type of schools but left her NM listed school her #2 choice that does give a NM-sponsored scholarship. So, she got a letter offering her a scholarship from the (#2) school that she isn’t attending. So, she’ll be turning it down. Her chosen school gives close to full rides to their NMFs but it isn’t through NMSC so she didn’t change her school on the portal.
I would think if a kid got a $2500 NM scholarship that the school would likely make up the difference between that amount & the offer to other NMFs.
That is super confusing. I thought you were just supposed to put your school as your first choice. And I thought all college NMF scholarships are through the school. That’s why I was confused when I saw an earlier post that someone got their USC scholarship in a letter from NM and was surprised to get it. All of the schools that S applied to spelled out on their website that all NMF get a certain dollar amount scholarship from the school. It wouldn’t be a surprise.
I’m still a little confused because Bowdoin is listed on NM website as giving three awards. Only three NMFs go to Bowdoin? That doesn’t seem right. I’m not particularly worried as I’ve already confirmed with Bowdoin that he’s getting the scholarship. I just don’t understand why some colleges give it directly and some through NM.
My D’s school is not a sponsoring school, but obviously wants to attract NMFs, so they offer one of those high-scholarship amounts that is not offered through NMSC. Most of the big full tuition or full ride awards are not through NMSC although most of the schools offer a small, renewable $500 scholarship through NMSC as part of the big award.
DS got the letter from NMSC saying he didn’t get a $2500 or corporate-sponsored award. But UTD has notified him that they are giving him a college-sponsored award. I assume they do this so that they can call their NMFs “National Merit Scholars.”
I received a letter today (I live in MA) saying that I didn’t get any scholarships from NMSC. Unfortunately my college doesn’t offer NMF scholarships either. Time to get a third job :’)
NMS award is an honor for all but financially valuable for top students going to top colleges who doesn’t give merit scholarships because they don’t have to and top students go there anyways, for example Ivies, top LACs and top research universities. If you aren’t aiming for top schools then there are plenty of full tuition and full ride options for any National Merit Finalist.
Now that fewer and fewer schools are offering NMS-specific big awards (especially in the Northeast), the NMS 2500 or small corporate awards are also nice for supplementing merit scholarships at schools where their merit funds are not NMF based.
Did anyone receive an email that is asking you to complete a survey and provide a picture. Saying it’s for MNO Public information reasons? Sounds unusual.
@catmomof3 - yes
@mountainmomof3 was it legit?
@catmomof3 - not sure I didn’t read it. I did notice an actual letter from NMSC in informed delivery email for Friday but I am out of town and didn’t get it yet. You could always call NMSC and ask if it is legit.
@catmomof3 DS received an email a week ago asking him to complete the survey and provide a picture for possible use in the NMSC Annual Report or the NMSC News site. You mentioned MNO Public Information; I’m not sure what MNO stands for, and our email does not say that. I didn’t question the request since I know that NMSC normally does ask for this info. IIRC, providing such info was part of the terms of the scholarship acceptance.
@mountainmomof3 The postal mail received here last week was info on where the scholarship check would be sent and info about taxes.