National Merit Scholarship $2500

Paying for College National Merit Aid
1

Hi, on the letter that was mailed to Finalists recently, it said that on May 9th, the winners of the $2500 from NMSQT would be informed. How do we find this out? I went on my portal for NMS but it was not there. If a letter was mailed the 9th, I likely would not have received it by now. Is there another way for me to find out if I’ve gotten this $2500 scholarship?

BTW, I put down Northeastern as my intended First choice college, and they gave me a $1000 stipend. But I won’t be going to Northeastern and so I declined my scholarship earlier today.

2

If you got a scholarship from your first choice college through National Merit Corporation you will not get the $2500. This is a very helpful thread. http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/2075896-an-explanation-of-national-merit-finalist-awards.html#latest

3

So in my case it was better to not have put down a first choice college? At the time, I knew I was not going to the college I put down. @MA2012

4

If you KNEW you weren’t going to be attending a college…why did you indicate it as your number one choice?

5

In case my familys financial situation changed in the next month or so. It seemed like a good idea to still have that financially safe option. Plus, its not like I was stealing scholarship money from someone or taking up spots.

6

My child only entered first choice school yesterday (we forgot). They do not offer an NMF scholarship at all and we don’t have the option for a corporate sponsorship so it wasn’t at the front of our minds. We’ve not received a letter from NMF in months. Today one popped up in our informed delivery. I’m wondering if it means one of the $2500 scholarships. That would be amazing. Has anyone else gotten a letter today or yesterday?

7

@ProfessorMom1 Yes, several reported receiving the letters yesterday, including my S. It is a “thanks for playing” letter unfortunately. Out of curiosity, if your child’s chosen school does not participate, why did you bother entering a school at all? (Just wondering because S is in the same situation so he never saw any reason to enter a school.)

8

My daughter wrote U of Chicago as her first choice (it was the only one of her applied-to schools that offered the NMF scholarship). She did not go to U of Chicago. In the fall, while she was already at Yale, she got a letter saying, more or less, where should we send your money, since you apparently aren’t at U of C? There are some $2500 scholarships that are (apparently) not tied to a school or a parents’ company, and she got one. Who knew?

9

@planner03 Ah. Our mail hasn’t come yet but surely my child got the same thing. I suggested that he add the school bc I thought they might want it for statistical data. That’s the professor in me.

10

@donnaleighg Wasn’t it the regular $2500 scholarship?

11

I honestly don’t know how this works. Maybe if you qualify for the regular $2500, but have also “applied” for a first-choice, and then decline to go to your “first choice” it comes. It’s awhile back now.

12

I declined my first choice recently so hopefully you’re right. @donnaleighg

13

If you put down your 1st choice college and they offered you a stipend then you are not eligible for any other awards. If they didn’t offer you any, then you would have had time till May 31st to change your college.
You will not be considered for the $2500 NMF award once you chose your 1st choice college.

14

If you put down your 1st choice college and they offered you a stipend then you are not eligible for any other awards. If they didn’t offer you any, then you would have had time till May 31st to change your college.
You will not be considered for the $2500 NMF award once you chose your 1st choice college.

15

^that wasn’t our experience. She did not go to her first choice, but got $2500 regardless. Her actual college did not offer the first choice option.

16

@donnaleighg, ^^ was based on a conversation with the rep @ NMS foundation.

It all depends on

  1. If you were chosen to receive the $2500.00 award

If you have a 1st choice college, their award is what is considered as an award for you.

If they don’t give an award you will still receive the $2500 from NMSF.

If you choose not to go there then you will have the option of requesting for award consideration at your new school ( if participating) before May 31st.

If you chose to go to a non participating school then you will receive the $2500 from NMSF.

2.If you were not chosen to receive the $2500 award from NMSF

If you have a 1st choice college, their award is what is considered as an award for you

Not all who pick a 1st choice are awarded by the school, some do not get the award form their 1st choice school based on the criteria that school has. Some schools have a specific number of students they award them to, so there are kids who can choose a 1st choice school but still not get an award from that school.

If you were not given an award by that school and you are attending there then you will not have any awards.

If you were not awarded by the your 1st choice school and you have chosen not go there then you can request to be considered for an award at your new school (if thy are a participating school) before MAY 31st.

You will not be eligible for any awards at a non participating school.

You will not be eligible for the $2500 award unless you were selected for it to begin with

They also told me that the high schools are notified weeks before the actual announcements come out in order to facilitate the publication in the local media. If your HS GC hasn’t informed you that you have been awarded the $2500 then you were not considered for it either because there were others who had better qualifications or because you already had an award from your 1st choice.

looks like your DD was eligible for the $2500.00 award and when she chose to go to a non participating school she was awarded that.

17

^thanks. That timeline seems to be what happened with us.