<p>OK, this is probably really stupid and paranoid, but...</p>
<p>I'm a national merit semifinalist and I'm debating putting USC down as my first choice (it isn't, really, but it's my first choice that offers any significant money for national merit scholars) in order to be in contention for the National Merit Finalist Presidential Scholarship, which is half-tuition. </p>
<p>However, I also definitely want to be considered for full-tuition scholarships at USC as well, and I don't think these scholarships are way outside my reach (I have 4.0 gpa, 2400 sat, etc...) I'm wondering if USC might be more likely to just give me the half-tuition national merit scholarship if I put them down as my first choice rather than seriously consider me for the full scholarships? Could it benefit me more to take myself out of contention for the national merit scholarship so that I could have a greater chance of getting a full tuition one? Or is this just way overthinking things?</p>
<p>I definitely could not afford USC w/o a half-tuition scholarship, and likely could not attend without a full tuition one.</p>
<p>There is no reason to put USC down as your 1st choice for NMF until AFTER you have received all your admissions packets and are deciding where to attend. I believe in past years, the deadline to list your preference on NMF is some time in May. If you have any concerns, just wait. If you are admitted and if you decide to attend USC, you can list it as your first choice school and voila! You’ll get the 1/2 tuition scholarship.</p>
No need to worry. The selection for USC scholarship interviewees for the full and half-tuition awards* is made by mid-January, which is BEFORE colleges and universities are informed of NM status of potential students. Every year there are several applicants who are later named NMS selected to interview for those scholarships**.</p>
<p>IMPORTANT NOTES:</p>
<p>*There is no interview for the NMS 1/2 tuition scholarship, so even if you are not invited to interview if you are accepted and name USC as your first-choice by the deadline, you will receive the NMS 1/2 tuition award at USC.</p>
<p>**A candidate will only be awarded ONE of the top scholarships (Trustee/Mork/Stamps, Presidential, NMS Presidential or Dean’s 1/4 tuition). So if you interview and are awarded a Trustee/Mork/Stamps, you will NOT get the NMS Presidential. If you interview and are awarded a 1/2 tuition Presidential, the NMS Presidential will be more advantageous as it includes an extra $1,000/year and (assuming you are accepted and name USC by the deadline) USC will award the more advantageous scholarship. When you receive your NMS official notification simply fax it in as it sometimes takes some time for the schools to find out about your NMS status.</p>
<p>MOST IMPORTANT NOTE: NMF/NMS are not - NOT - guaranteed admission nor are they necessarily invited to interview for the big scholarships. There have been some very disappointed and bitter applicants/parents who assumed that NMF/NMS status meant they would automatically be accepted and/or automatically receive a scholarship interview invitation.</p>
<p>One more important note…if you are invited to interview for the Presidential, go, even though you have NM. Many kids were bumped up after their interview to Trustee or Mork in the year my son applied. No guarantees, but it is worth a shot!</p>
<p>And please remember that the merit scholarships are a reach for EVERYONE-- and subjective. Perfect scores and perfect grades may put you in the possible invite pile or may not. Sometimes it is everything else that you have done and demonstrate through your application that will get you an invite.</p>
<p>Wow, this was all really helpful! Also, and this may too be a stupid question, if I am invited to interview for one of the USC scholarships, that means I have to physically go to USC to be considered, right? It’s just that I live in South Carolina so I want to know if and when I might end up needing to go out to Cali.</p>
<p>Scholarship interview invitations go out in late January/early February. Trustee/Mork/Stamps interviews are at the end of February and Presidential interviews are at the beginning of March.</p>
<p>As NC Mom mentions, there is always some up-and-down movement, so a Mork/Stamps/Trustee candidate may be awarded a Presidential, Dean’s or smaller scholarship and on occasion Presidential candidates are “bumped up” to Mork/Stamps/Trustee.</p>
<p>Interviews are held at a two-day Explore USC event (basically a program designed to make you love USC and choose USC). In the past, USC has offered a stipend for distant candidates of up to $200 towards airfare for the candidate only. Candidates stay overnight with a USC student and are given vouchers for meals.</p>
<p>I’m curious…my son is a sophomore at USC and is a National Merit Scholar (actually won the $2,500 scholarship from NMC). He was invited to interview for the Presidential scholarship (at Explore USC) when he was a senior in high school and was awarded the Presidential scholarship. He does not receive the $1,000/year extra $$$. Any ideas about how he can get the extra $1,000 per year now?</p>
<p>Hi pebbles - I know this was a frustrating situation for you when it happened. I am sorry your son was not able to get the $1,000/year. </p>
<p>From previous discussions (you were in on them) it seems students awarded the National Merit sponsored one-time award of $2,500 are not eligible for college-sponsored awards (note for those new to the discussion: The USC 1/2 tuition award is NOT administered by National Merit Corp - it is a USC merit scholarship. The “extra” $1,000/year is the college-sponsored award).</p>
<p>As your son has already received the National Merit $2,500, he is not eligible for the $1,000/year college-sponsored award per National Merit rules:
<p>The question for future candidates who are in this position to ask would be if they can decline the $2,500 one-time award in order to receive the $1,000/year award. The question will have to be asked of National Merit, as they are the ones who administer those awards. USC only administers the 1/2 tuition award. Thanks to pebbles for bringing it to the attention of current posters.</p>
<p>^Based on previous posts submitted over the years on the National Merit forum, a student CAN decline the $2500 NM award if they want to receive the $1000/ yr that USC offers. They just need to let NM aware of their preference.</p>
<p>I was reading the welcoming speech by President Nikias given at the new student convocation last fall. In that speech he mentioned 220 National Merit Scholars who applied to SC had not been admitted. So now we have a number to support alamemom’s statement regarding admission to SC by National Merit Scholars.</p>