<p>My 2010 graduating son received his financial aid award letter, and in addition to the Presidential Scholarship got 7,500 in merit aid connected to NMS. I called the financial aid office to verify this was indeed NM because NMSC was not mentioned in the award letter. I was told that some of the 7,500 award is from the college, and some from the NMSC. </p>
<p>Yesterday, son got a letter from the NMSC with congrats and the offer of a 2,000 "stipend." Question is: Is this 2,000 a portion of the 7,500 total award, with the remaining 5,500 supplied by the college? OR (which would be nice, but prob isn't the case?), is the 2,000 to be paid to the student on top of the 7,500--the way I would ordinarily think would be the use of the word "stipend?" </p>
<p>I'll call the school financial office but will be spending all day tomorrow at Nat'l History day with younger son and may have to wait until Tuesday, and we're curious... Anybody know what exactly is meant by "stipend?" TIA</p>
<p>It sounds like the school awards $7500 to the student, BUT…$2000 of it goes “thru” NMCorp as the “official” National merit scholarship.</p>
<p>Stipend just means that the money can be used for various college expenses…room, board, books, etc.</p>
<p>Which school is this?</p>
<p>(My son’s school does something like this…it gives most of the scholarship directly, but gives some money “thru” NMCorp as the “official” NM Scholar scholarship.)</p>
<p>BTW…since you’ll be busy tomorrow, why not just send an email now to the head of the scholarship dept and ask?</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your help (again!), Mom2. This is what I suspect too. But I’ll get an email off to the college financial aid dept. It is St Olaf, which was son’s first choice, and it’s looking better and better, the more we have experience with it!</p>
<p>I am going to suspect that $5500 was the college component and $2000 (the maximum per year if given for 4 years) as the NMSC component. Both actually come from the college, but one gives your S the right to say that he is NM scholarship winner. But I cannot make out from limited details, so please e-mail the college and let us know the results.</p>