NMF notices are "in the mail"

Paying for College National Merit Aid
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<p>Mom2Collegekids,</p>

<p>Called NMSC this morning. They will not reveal anything over the phone and were not interested in helping me. They did not say to have the GC call, just that I should “wait for my home letter” which will be sent 2/8. The lady sounded unsympathetic and annoyed with being bothered. Not really the response I expected! I was very polite in explaining our situation, but oh well…</p>

<p>Called the school and couldn’t reach anyone. Left messages, but nothing so far. No one seems to realize that our hopes and dreams(and college scholarship plans) ride on this going smoothly.</p>

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<p>What is the exact wording of the press release?</p>

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<p>Debbie,</p>

<p>Yikes! Usually, NMCorp is quite nice!</p>

<p>You do need to get a GC to call them. I would also want to get clarification from the school to make sure that they didn’t misunderstand and think that they could only recommend one child for NMF.</p>

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<p>There isn’t any more work to do after being named Finalist, right?</p>

<p>How does NMSC determine who gets the scholarship and based on what criteria?</p>

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<p>Sunshine…</p>

<p>No one seems to know how NMCorp decides which 2500 finalists get the ONE TIME $2500 awards.</p>

<p>The awards seem to be proportional by state, half male/female…likely those with tippy top stats.</p>

<p>Debbie…</p>

<p>I wonder if you called NMCorp back and instead of asking whether your child made it, you asked a question in regards to naming the #1 choice or something that would likely cause them to reveal whether your child didn’t make it.</p>

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<p>I don’t know what to think right now. I teach at the same school that my son attends. The principal tells me that they have not received notice as of yet. Meanwhile other schools are preparing press releases. I guess I will remain calm and wait and advise others that maybe it is too soon to panic.</p>

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<p>Press release (name removed)</p>

<p><strong>blank</strong> was named as a National Merit Finalist by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. As a finalist, *** will continue in the competition for 8,300 scholarships worth more than $34 million that will be offered to graduating seniors. To become a finalist, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be recommended by the high school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. </p>

<p>Mom2Collegekids, I’m getting calmer about the whole thing. I think I will give it a few days to sort itself out. Maybe our school really hasn’t gotten them yet as the PP said.</p>

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<p>It came late yesterday afternoon. Son is a finalist.</p>

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<p>We’re still waiting. Maybe today will be the day. D talked to the boy in the press release and he said his came early because of NAF being in the mix. I volunteer at the school on Wednesday’s so if we don’t hear anything by then, I will speak to the appropriate folks in person. Phone messages never get returned. I hate voicemail with the fury of 10,000 suns!</p>

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<p>If you google it, there is a boy from Minnesota who is already named in the news. It doesn’t say anything about NAF (isn’t that for Hispanic and Black Americans?) This boy is clearly white.</p>

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<p>Hispanics can be clearly white too.</p>

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<p>That seems plausible, since nothing in the press release suggests that the other two semifinalists did not make it.</p>

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<p>Question on clarifying some terminology…</p>

<p>A NMF becomes a NMScholar simply by choosing a school that gives a NMF scholarship?
National Merit Finalist doesn’t sound as “final” as National Merit Scholar.</p>

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<p>*Hispanics can be clearly white too. *</p>

<p>NAF doesn’t include Hispanics…NAF is for Blacks only. NHRP is for Hispanics.</p>

<p>*Question on clarifying some terminology…</p>

<p>A NMF becomes a NMScholar simply by choosing a school that gives a NMF scholarship?
National Merit Finalist doesn’t sound as “final” as National Merit Scholar. *</p>

<p>A NMF becomes a scholar by one of three ways…</p>

<p>1) awarded a one-time NMCorp 2500 award</p>

<p>2) awarded a corporate NMF scholarship</p>

<p>3) awarded a college official NMF scholarship.</p>

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<p>Since Alabama’s 1k stipend is technically the official NM sward, does that mean everyone who takes that is considered a National Merit Scholar?</p>

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<p>^^^</p>

<p>yes…it does. </p>

<p>:)</p>

<p>Congrats! You’ll be a NMScholar!</p>

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<p>and blacks can clearly be white too!</p>

<p>I know a girl who is blonde haired, blue eyed, with 2 biologically black parents (obviously with some mixing going on in the background).</p>

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<p>My son hasn’t heard anything yet from his school about whether he’s made Finalist, but there is no reason he wouldn’t. Here’s the rub: he has an application that must be postmarked tomorrow for a private local scholarship, and he has listed Semifinalist on the application, but I think I will suggest he change it to Finalist. Worst case - he would have to call the organization offering the scholarship and tell them he goofed. What would ya’ll do?</p>

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<p>^^^</p>

<p>Sounds fine. If your son hadn’t made, he would have gotten the rejection letter.</p>

<p>Have you called the GC?</p>

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<p>Barfly – I would change it to NMF. Since the ding letters were mailed out 3-4 weeks ago, he should be safe, especially if you don’t know of any potential reasons why he wouldn’t make it.</p>