<p>According to various websites (including NMSC), Rensselaer supports National Merit Scholars. RPI's website, however, says NOTHING (as far as I can tell at least). Does anybody know how much money they give for National Merit?</p>
<p>All universities accept scholarship money from the NMSC program. Whether or not they will give additional scholarship money is up the the university. </p>
<p>I don't know if this helps any, but I was a NMSC finalist (not winner, but still an honorary thing), and RPI sent me a free T-shirt. That summer I was offered a free laptop. They never really explained why, or if they did, I forgot. I later heard President's Scholars got the free laptop, but I don't think I was a Presidents scholar (I certainly did not get the top "President's" award). So I think it may have been from being NMSC finalist, but I honestly don't know. It may have just been a special thing that year only, like they had some extra laptops and decided to give them away. </p>
<p>You should call the financial aid office if you really want to find out.</p>
<p>I was a National Hispanic Scholar and I'm sure that was one of many determining factors in getting my merit scholarship. But I know quite certainly that they don't give "National Merit Scholar" or "National Hispanic Scholar" scholarships to anyone. It's just a determining factor in the merit aid you do get. That's my understanding of it at least.</p>
<p>bumpin’ this question</p>
<p>does anyone know how much they give?!</p>
<p>@ dsilva: but the website says they participate in national merit :/</p>
<p>I have heard directly from the financial aid office that they do give National Merit awards to finalists (I think semi-finalists, too, but don’t quote me on that) in the amount of $1000-2000. They instructed me to send in my NMS postcard indicating RPI as my first choice, and that they would update my financial award letter accordingly. So far, I have not heard back.</p>
<p>thanks! good luck! & i’ll tell my friend to try that, although the national merit deadlines are kind of ambiguous. </p>
<p>hmm. reading the website more closely, there’s also the issue of their merit aid policy:</p>
<p>PLEASE NOTE: If a student earns multiple Rensselaer merit scholarships, the university will award the highest merit award for which the student is qualified, but does not combine multiple awards. Total Rensselaer provided scholarships and/or tuition benefits may not exceed tuition.</p>
<p>…except that doesn’t seem accurate, because i know that they offered me two different scholarships, one of 10k and one of 5k, and i’m pretty sure that other people who reported their awards here got combinations of merit awards, as well.</p>
<p>I suppose they have different categorizations for that. The $5000 scholarship you’re referring to is the Room & Board scholarship, right? I think they mean special merit awards, like alumni scholarships and whatnot. They have a whole listing of those different awards in their course catalog.</p>
<p>oooh, gotcha. yeah, i guess they just put it that way instead of trying to explain the details of the categories and stuff, which would have been confusing.</p>
<p>Oh my g-d. So I decided to go to RPI and I had to change my NMSC college choice by April 29th (hello people, that’s TODAY) but I didn’t! I’ll change it tomorrow. I hope I still get money! And I hope they give me a free laptop too. </p>
<p>Does the people think the laptops will have webcams? I don’t have a cell phone or a normal camera.</p>
<p>i lol’d</p>
<p>wait you can hook up the webcam you already have
to your laptop</p>
<p>are you dumb</p>
<p>Yes, of course this occurred to me… But I’d prefer to be a bit more discrete in my webcamming escapades! And I think I’d look lame if I stuck that garish and obstructive webcam atop my cute little lappy =).</p>
<p>do you want to be a distinct entity
or do you mean discreet</p>
<p>Oh, I meant distinct entity.</p>
<p>“Discreditable” would be more appropriate. XD</p>
<p>She’s definitely on to something here, folks.</p>