<p>I know there are tons of threads on this, I apologize.</p>
<p>I'm a NM Finalist and I put Brown as my first choice; Brown doesn't do the Merit Aid thing, so I should be getting that $2500 soon, right?</p>
<p>I haven't heard from them since I found out I was a finalist, and I'd like my money... Can someone tell me how this works or what's going on?</p>
<p>While there were 15,000+ finalist, there are only 2500 winners of "that $2500." The letters were mailed 3 days ago.</p>
<p>Not everyone gets the $2500. Only about 2000 out of the 15,000 finalists actually get it I think.</p>
<p>Arg! my guidance counselor told me that if I was a finalist, I was getting money. What a jerk. Why don't they just make those 2000 finalists then? This whole process is so weird.</p>
<p>Son received letter about the $2500 in yesterday's mail (Ohio). My take on the selection of those who receive the $2500 is that a committee comprised of college admissions personnel and high school counselors make the selections for the 2500 students who receive the $2500.</p>
<p>yes the 2500 who get it are called National Merit Scholars. Finalists are just one step closer to it I suppose.</p>
<p>Now I was told that we had until May to choose which of the schools was our first choice, but if we're getting the letters now... What happened to the May deadline?</p>
<p>You have until May 1st to decide where you will be attending. This is true for all colleges. </p>
<p>In terms of National Merit, make sure you check with your schools in terms of their deadlines. Once you have been offered another Merit Scholarship award, you will not be offered a college sponsored award. If there is a lot of money at stake, make sure you call Financial Aid for clarification.</p>
<p>What is essentially happening, is that many students will receive their financial aid packages within the next few weeks. Some people may need to make last minute switches on National Merit just to insure receiving the
$2500.</p>
<p>A person at the National Merit Scholar organziation told me that all the $2,500 one time National Merit Award letters went out Friday from Evanston, Illinois. </p>
<p>I can't remeber, how many of those are there? I seem to recall about 2,500.</p>
<p>Instead of starting a new thread, maybe someone on this one can help. How do you change your first choice school? I know there's that card we got with our semifinalist packets, but I already sent that in once. Frowny face.</p>
<p>Interesting SBDad that you were told the letters went out Friday. Someone posted on the "National Merit Special Scholarships" thread that he/she received the offer of the one-time $2500 scholarship on Friday. Several others have reported receiving the letter Saturday. We are in CA; I assume that if no letter comes today, that means no one-time NM scholarship.</p>
<p>ChandraMoon - The fax number I have for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation is 847-866-5113 (you can verify this in your NM Semifinalist packet or online). </p>
<p>The postcard you already used asks for the following:
Semifinalist ID #
Name (last, first, middle initial)
Selection Unit #
Home mailing address
My first-choice college (college name, city, state)
I will live (check one) on campus or at home
Signature and date</p>
<p>If you fax the information to them, I'd recommend that you wait a week or so and then call to confirm that they have received it and updated their records.</p>
<p>Thanks! I'm going to ask around and see if any of the other finalists at my school still have their cards, if not, I'll fax them.</p>
<p>filo895
She did say that "a few" were going out today. Sounds like they have gone out over a few days. So there's still hope - keep your fingers crossed.</p>
<p>My kid got a letter in today's mail (Monday). (Northeast.) OTOH, I think that we might have forgotten to bring in the mail on Saturday, so maybe the letter was waiting there for two days, shivering in the wet and the cold...?</p>
<p>A very nice honor. And congratulations to all who get it. The procedure for changing a first-choice school is simple. ("...report the change to NMSC as soon as your college plans are firm.") Alas, though.. I think that DD will not actually benefit from the money, because it will just reduce her financial aid award.</p>
<p>Best wishes to all... Congrats to Finalists, Semi-Finalists, and Commendeds. All of these are coveted designations. You've got bragging rights!</p>
<p>First, I picked Chicago as my first choice for NMSC, then I got accepted to USC in January, and USC sent me a letter saying I will get the half tuition scholarship if I pick them as my first school, so I sent the first-choice change card to NMSC changing my first choice to "UNDECIDED" until I hear from Chicago, so right now I don't have a first choice, technically...</p>
<p>I really hope I don't get the 2500 letter because that would mean that I won't be able to take any other offer, including the USC thing. Then I would be totally screwed... or at least, that's how I interpret the rules...</p>
<p>I got the 2500 letter today! woot.</p>
<p>Were all the 2500 letters sent out recently or are there waves?</p>
<p>Edit: And/or did anyone who recieved one not report a 1st choice college?</p>
<p>you must report a 1st choice college in order to get the letter.</p>
<p>they mailed me a few weeks ago telling me to report one and i postponed doing it b/c i didn't know yet but they called me telling me i had to fax it in and 3 days later, i got the letter for $2500!</p>
<p>I just said Brown was my first choice, even though I have NO idea if I'll get in. I just need to notify them of where I'll be going by April 4th.</p>