<p>Son received an offer for the $2500 National Merit scholarship today. If he accepts this, does this mean that he will not be offered a college-sponsored scholarship? The wording seems to indicate that. </p>
<p>He has a first choice college which was referenced in the offer. The first choice college will award far more money than the flat $2500.</p>
<p>I plan to call the college on Monday, but I'm wondering if he should decline this offer and indicate that he prefers to be considered for the college-sponsored award? </p>
<p>He is down to two schools: one that is his first choice but we don't have the aid packet yet (the $2500 would help there), and the state school where there is a lot of money attached to National Merit.</p>
<p>I just don't know how this works. Help, please.</p>
<p>I'm not sure, but NMSC guarantees a scholarship. If your S doesn't get into the state school, then he'll get to use the $2500 for his first choice.</p>
<p>I could be wrong. :(</p>
<p>Son is already admitted to the state school (Ohio State). What is on the line is full tuition plus $4500 for four years. That is too much money to lose if this isn't handled right. If son chooses the other school, the $2500 will help. I probably need to call the school on Monday.</p>
<p>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 chllege 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>I also applied to Ohio State and am a National Merit Scholar.
The understanding I have from the Ohio State materials is that the scholarship you are referencing is deirectly from the school, so has no dependence on sponsorship of the college, only requires that it is your first choice. I believe they also sponsor through NMSC with an annual 500-2000, and since offered a NM scholarship, you will be ineligible to recieve the sponsored one.
Accept the 2500 award right away, and don't worry becaus OSU will still honor their scholarship that they offered.</p>