National Merit

<p>I found out this week that I made the first cut in the NM competition. I got a 221 in Indiana, so I think I'll eventually be a semifinalist. I was asked to name two schools, and I'm not sure what to put. Should I put down my dream schools, or lower-ranked schools that would be more impressed by my status. I don't want to waste my choices on schools that don't care, but I want to let them know I'm interested if it will help. Here is my list of colleges; which two should I select?
Stanford, Princeton, Duke, Wash-U, Notre Dame, Emory, USC, the Miamis (FL and Ohio), Purdue, and IU.</p>

<p>Hi:
My son is a National Merit Finalist so I know this process can be confusing. First, it really doesn't matter what schools you list at this point--many of the colleges obtain the list of National Merit Semifinalists and Finalists anyway, so eventually they will know about you and send you tons of mail trying to interest you in their schools. What really counts is what school you name as your first choice school once you are selected a finalist. Many schools offer significant scholarships for finalists who name them as first choice, but other schools such as Duke don't even participate in offering merit scholarships for finalists. Take a look at each individual school when the time comes. You technically don't even have to select a first choice school till the end of May of your senior year--there is a card you have to submit with your selection. Good luck and congratulations.</p>

<p>Check out the thread in the parents forum on this one.</p>

<p>I would suggest that you list a couple of schools that give scholariships to National Merit Finalists. Of course I make this suggestion if all of the schools that you list you like equally well. Of the schools you list: Stanford, Princeton, Duke, Wash-U, Notre Dame, Emory, USC, the Miamis (FL and Ohio), Purdue, and IU. I know that USC, WUStL and Emory all give merit aid. USC for example has a huge number of scholarships for National Merit designation, over 250.</p>

<p>Otherwise I would suggest sending them to the schools you like best, though it may not make a difference at Princeton and Stanford.</p>

<p>Good luck with your efforts.</p>

<p>Thanks! I appreciate the advice.</p>