<p>We have to choose 2 schools by the 16th. How important is this decision? Does it determine if you can get scholarship money from the school or not?</p>
<p>No, it does not determine anything, really. It just lets two colleges know that you are interested in them and that you scored well on the PSAT. It is probably good to choose two schools that give scholarships for NM, just because you are more likely to get attention from them than from, say, an Ivy League school that doesn't give such scholarships.</p>
<p>This link of colleges giving full tuition scholarships to NM scholars may be helpful: <a href="http://homepage.mac.com/l_j/secondhome/National_Merit.html%5B/url%5D">http://homepage.mac.com/l_j/secondhome/National_Merit.html</a></p>
<p>Susantm, </p>
<p>Really? So putting two Ivy League schools down on the form would be a <em>waste</em>? </p>
<p>Also, I thought these forms were due May 18th... </p>
<p>I'm asking for my younger sibling; I'm a senior.</p>
<p>Yes, it would be a waste. The Ivies are flooded with applications from NM scholars. The Ivies also know that they tend to be students' first choice colleges. The Ivies also don't give merit scholarships. Thus, it's a waste of time to inform them that one is in the country's top 55,000 students. They won't be inspired to break out the band or waive money to try to get you to apply.</p>
<p>Check out this link to the Parent's Forum: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=54074%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=54074</a></p>
<p>Thanks, I actually read all the posts on the thread. </p>
<ol>
<li>So HYP, etc. wouldn't look negatively upon an applicant for not submitting the National Merit Commendation thing? Well, I guess I'll just answer my own question. I got into a few Ivies without sending the National Merit thing, but I just wanted to be sure. </li>
<li>The non-Ivy colleges that my sister is considering are: Amherst, Swarthmore, Vassar, Wellesley, and UChicago. Her safeties are SUNYs, which I don't think do National Merit Scholarships. Should she write down any of these colleges, or are they all too competitive to care?</li>
</ol>
<p>suburbian: My daughter applied to and was accepted by UChicago (though not attending). She did put them down as her 1st choice school for NM, and they did award her one. The award came with the acceptance, and from what we could tell, it actually looked to be 1 year (non-renewable), which seemed rather stingy to us. Now maybe it was renewable, but they didn't state that. She was also accepted to Wellesley (and also not attending), and though she did not put them down as a 1st choice, I don't believe Wellesley recognizes NM. In fact, they don't give out any merit scholarships whatsoever (and I <em>think</em> that includes NM). I don't know about the others you mention, though.</p>
<p>Also, and someone correct me here if I'm wrong, but I don't think which colleges you put down matter at all--at this point--though I agree that you should put schools that actually recognize NM. But no need to alert schools of your NM status, as they will all find out anyway. All that mail that starts flooding in stems directly from your high PSAT score. As long as you did not check that box (when you took the test, I believe) that says not to send out that score--it (seemingly) goes everywhere. Also, when my daughter decided not to go to UChicago, she wrote to NM, requesting a change from that-- her 1st choice school-- to the school she ultimately decided to attend. That school then awarded her a NM scholarship. And she actually had until April 20 this year to make that change. So, just pick 2 schools you think you wouldn't mind attending and that recognize NM. You can always change your mind and let the NM people know.</p>
<p>"Also, and someone correct me here if I'm wrong, but I don't think which colleges you put down matter at all--"</p>
<p>It can matter to the colleges that weigh demonstrated interest when they are evaluating applicants. </p>
<p>It also can matter to some colleges that are in the second tier and bottom of the first tier that are looking to increase their numbers of high stat students, and therefore may go out of their way to try to recruit such a student, including offering merit aid and other perks even if the college doesn't give NM scholarships.</p>
<p>Frankly, NM scholarships are small -- only one-time grants of $2,500. There are schools that may not give scholarships directly through the NM program, but may give extremely generous scholarships such as full tuition to students who get NM recognition and/or score high on the SATs. Alerting such colleges about one's interest could lead to nice offers in the next academic year.</p>
<p>I don't think that either of the schools that S put down gives NM scholarships. However, both are interested in attracting students like him, and both give substantial merit aid. Since S is very interested in both colleges, we think that their learning of his interest in him may help him stand out in their merit aid as well as their admissions pool.</p>
<p>Also S will only be commended, so this is his chance to use his PSAT scores to connect with colleges that may want to give him merit aid. I think that students who make semi finalist will have an additional opportunity to notify colleges in the fall.</p>
<p>Northstarmom: While I agree with what you say, my point really was that all these colleges will learn of a student's high PSAT score and NM status (commended, semifinalist or finalist), regardless of whether he/she puts the school down as a 1st choice or sends them information. If I'm not mistaken, every school in the country is notified of high PSAT scorers, not by the student, but (I assume) by NM. I have actually never heard of any student (having to) contact universities about their NM status, except when one is a NM finalist and needs to evenutally put down a 1st choice school. That's the one thing in this whole process, it seems to me, that's done for a student-- for free. Obviously, if one is applying to a school, all this would be put down on an application. Maybe I'm mis-understanding what this person is asking.</p>
<p>There have been occaisions when kids I know have been contacted and told that they are in line for a very generous supplemental scholarship if they choose that particular school as first choice. I know this has happened with GW and Richmond College. So the choice can be important in the end. Also for schools tracking demonstrated interest it certainly helps your case, if they see they are down as top two. The most select schools really don't care. I don't think they even check the lists for NMF. None of my kids have ever gotten that designation, and they have gotten into school where NMF peers were passed over.</p>
<p>If students make it to finalist status, I think they have until around now to notify NM who their first choice is. Also, for NM corporate scholarships, you fill out the first choice card now (my son did this just a month or so ago).</p>