<p>This is a great list. However, besides Fordham, I don’t see any Jesuit colleges on it. I thought that they were good about offering merit aid. Anyone know about Loyola Maryland or the University of Scranton?</p>
<p>I don’t know about merit aid–this list targets specifically, and only, NMF scholarships. Perhaps most Jesuit colleges don’t give out merit based on NMF? I always welcome contributions.</p>
<p>Keilexandra, I’m tempted to call you ‘the best in the west,’ but I have no idea where you are.
You are helpful, that’s for sure.</p>
<p>^The opposite of the west, alas. ;)</p>
<p>Just an added note with Auburn University. Their full tuition package starting summer 2010 will cover any number of hours a student decides to take as long as they take at least 12 hours per semester. Auburn’s scholarships, both NMF and Presidential, used to cover tuition for 12-15 hours a semester. No limit for those who need to take a few extra hours to graduate in four years.</p>
<p>Might want to checkout WPI-Worchester Polytechnic Institute</p>
<p>[Office</a> of Undergraduate Admissions - WPI Merit Scholarship Overview](<a href=“http://admissions.wpi.edu/Costs/scholarships.html]Office”>http://admissions.wpi.edu/Costs/scholarships.html)</p>
<p>Students admitted to WPI who attain finalist status in the National Merit Scholarship Program or National Achievement Scholarship Program and who identify WPI as his or her first-choice college are guaranteed an academic merit scholarship worth a minimum of $17,000. Students admitted to WPI who attain finalist status in the National Hispanic Recognition Program will receive an academic merit scholarship worth a minimum of $17,000 from WPI. The WPI academic merit scholarships are renewable for four years.</p>
<p>o Full ride is defined as minimum tuition/room/board.
o Must guarantee at least 5k or full tuition competitive to be eligible for Honorable Mention.
o U=University, C=College
o *=annual class <1k students
o ^=schools I personally find notable</p>
<p>NMF FULL TUITION+</p>
<h2>Publics</h2>
<p>U of Alabama (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition with 3.5 GPA guaranteed)
U of Alabama-Huntsville (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition guaranteed)
Alabama State U (full ride guaranteed)
Auburn U <a href=“full%20tuition+%20guaranteed”>AL</a>
U of North Alabama (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition+ guaranteed)
Troy U <a href=“full%20ride%20competitive”>AL</a>
U of Arizona (full tuition[+?] guaranteed?)
Southern Arkansas U (in-state full ride/OOS full tuition+ [full ride - 2.5k] rolling)
U of Central Florida (NMF full tuition+ guaranteed / full ride competitive & NMSF 9k guaranteed)
Florida A&M U (NMF in-state full ride & OOS full tuition guaranteed - other qualifications, see [University</a> Scholarships - Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University 2010](<a href=“Page Not Found”>Page Not Found))
U of South Florida (NMF full ride competitive - <a href=“http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/pdf/freshman-Non-florida.pdf[/url]”>http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/pdf/freshman-Non-florida.pdf</a> | <a href=“http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/pdf/freshman-florida.pdf[/url]”>http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/pdf/freshman-florida.pdf</a>)
U of Idaho (NMF full ride competitive [25])
Ball State U <a href=“NMF%20full%20ride%20guaranteed”>IN</a>
Eastern Kentucky U (in-state full ride & OOS full tuition- guaranteed)
U of Kentucky (full ride 1st year & full tuition+ remaining 3 years guaranteed)
Louisiana State U (full tuition competitive)
U of Maine (tuition- competitive)
Wayne State U <a href=“full%20ride%20competitive”>MI</a>
^*U of Minnesota-Morris (full tuition guaranteed)
^Truman State U <a href=“full%20tuition%20competitive”>MO</a>
U of Mississippi (NMF full tuition+ equivalent, less for NMSF; see [The</a> University of Mississippi ? Office of Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.olemiss.edu/finaid/scholarshiptypes.html#8]The”>http://www.olemiss.edu/finaid/scholarshiptypes.html#8))
Mississippi State U (NMF full tuition+ & NMSF full tuition- guaranteed)
U of Southern Mississippi (NMF/SF full ride competitive)
Southeast Missouri State U (NMF full ride guaranteed, NMSF full tuition- guaranteed)
U of Nebraska-Lincoln (full tuition+ competitive)
New Jersey Institute of Technology (full ride guaranteed)
New Mexico State U (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition+ guaranteed)
Cleveland State U <a href=“full%20tuition%20guaranteed”>OH</a>
Youngstown State U <a href=“full%20ride%20with%2030%20ACT/1300%20SAT%20competitive%20%5B40%5D”>OH</a>
Ohio State U (full tuition competitive)
U of Oklahoma (full tuition+ guaranteed)
Oklahoma State U (full tuition+ guaranteed)
U of Memphis <a href=“NMF%20%5B9k%20+%20OOS%20waiver%5D%20&%20NMSF%20%5B7.5k%20+%20OOS%20waiver%5D%20full%20tuition+%20guaranteed”>TN</a>
U of Houston <a href=“full%20ride%20guaranteed”>TX</a>
U of North Texas (full ride competitive)
Texas A&M U (full tuition+ competitive)
U of Texas-Dallas (full tuition+ guaranteed)
Texas Tech U (IS full ride & OOS full tuition+ [19.8k] guaranteed)
U of Texas-Tyler (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition+ guaranteed)
Washington State U (NMSF full tuition guaranteed)
West Virginia U (full tuition- guaranteed)
U of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (in-state full ride guaranteed [~4k OOS tuition difference])</p>
<h2>Privates</h2>
<p><em>Abilene Christian U (full tuition guaranteed)
Alfred U (full ride guaranteed with top 5% rank, otherwise full tuition/ride competitive)
*Alma C (full tuition guaranteed, full ride competitive [first 15 to commit])
*Andrews U (full tuition guaranteed)
Baylor U (full tuition guaranteed)
*Birmingham-Southern C (full tuition competitive)
Bradley U (full tuition guaranteed [not advertised, see <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1061891866-post29.html][/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1061891866-post29.html]</a>)
U of Dallas (NMF full tuition, NMSF 12k guaranteed)
^</em>Denison U (full tuition competitive)
Drexel U (full tuition guaranteed)
<em>U of Evansville (NMF full tuition & NMSF 75% tuition guaranteed)
*Faulkner U (NMF/SF full tuition guaranteed)
^Fordham U (full tuition+ competitive)
*Harding U (full tuition guaranteed)
*Geneva C (NMF full tuition & NMSF 3/4 tuition guaranteed)
Liberty U (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition guaranteed)
*Lipscomb U (full tuition+ guaranteed)
Long Island U-C.W. Post (full tuition competitive)
^Northeastern U (full tuition guaranteed <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1064202285-post264.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1064202285-post264.html</a>)
*Nyack C (full tuition guaranteed)
*Oakwood U (NMF full tuition+, NMSF full tuition, & NMCommended 80% tuition guaranteed)
*Oklahoma Christian U (full ride guaranteed)
*Pacific Union C (full tuition guaranteed)
*Roberts Wesleyan C (NMF full tuition & NMSF half tuition guaranteed)
*Spring Arbor U (NMF full tuition & NMSF half tuition + one-time 5k guaranteed)
*Sterling C (full tuition guaranteed)
^</em>U of Tulsa (full ride competitive [70-80])
^*Wesleyan C <a href=“full%20tuition%20competitive”>women only</a>
*Westminster C <a href=“NMF%20full%20tuition%20&%20NMSF%20half%20tuition%20guaranteed”>UT</a></p>
<p>NMF HONORABLE MENTIONS</p>
<h2>Publics</h2>
<p>Arizona State University (11k in-state, 17k OOS guaranteed)
U of Central Arkansas (12k guaranteed with 3.25 GPA)
California State U-Fullerton (in-state only: full tuition+ guaranteed)
California State U-Long Beach (in-state only: full ride competitive)
U of Florida (OOS tuition waiver + 4k guaranteed)
^*New C of Florida (17.5k guaranteed)
Iowa State U (in-state full ride competitive)
U of Kansas (10k guaranteed)
U of Louisiana-Lafayette (unclear - [UL</a> Lafayette: Academic Scholarships: High School Seniors](<a href=“Admissions & Financial Aid | UL Lafayette”>Admissions & Financial Aid | UL Lafayette))
U of Massachusetts-Amherst (in-state full ride competitive)
Michigan State U (750-2k + in-state 2k & OOS 4k and room/board competitive)
U of New Mexico (~13k [in-state full tuition] competitive)
U of Akron <a href=“6k%20guaranteed%20+%20Honors%20College%203k”>OH</a>
U of Cincinnati <a href=“in-state%20full%20tuition+%20%5BOOS%2014k%20difference%5D”>OH</a>
Wright State U <a href=“in-state%20only:%20NMF%20full%20ride%20guaranteed,%20NMSF/Commended%20full%20tuition%20guaranteed”>OH</a>
U of South Carolina (in-state up to 10k, OOS up to 6k + OOS tuition waiver)
U of Vermont (in-state NMF full tuition, OOS “up to 10k” competitive)
U of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (full in-state tuition guaranteed)</p>
<h2>Privates</h2>
<p>^American U (“up to full tuition” competitive)
^<em>Beloit C (5k guaranteed)
^Boston U (half tuition competitive)
*Calvin C (10k guaranteed)
*Concordia C (14k guaranteed)
^</em>Furman U (NMSF 14k guaranteed)
^George Washington U (15k guaranteed)
Gonzaga U (6.25k guaranteed)
<em>Gordon C (75% tuition guaranteed w/ 3.5 GPA)
*Hope C (17k guaranteed)
^</em>Macalester C (5k guaranteed)
<em>Morningside C (“tuition scholarship” guaranteed - [Morningside</a> College Admissions: First-year Students Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.morningside.edu/admissions/pages/fr_scholarships.htm]Morningside”>http://www.morningside.edu/admissions/pages/fr_scholarships.htm))
*North Central C (3/4 tuition guaranteed)
^U of Rochester (17k guaranteed)
^Rochester Institute of Technology (15k guaranteed)
*U of Sioux Falls (full ride competitive [1])
^U of Southern California (half tuition guaranteed)
Southern Methodist U (half tuition + 2k guaranteed)
^</em>St. Olaf C (7.5k guaranteed)
^Vanderbilt U (5k guaranteed + 2k if awarded competitive merit)
^Worcester Polytechnic Institute (17k guaranteed)</p>
<p>GeminiRising on another thread about changing your #1 school has this to say about NM awards from American and George Washington:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The language on the AU website is vague, but the GWU website language is explicit: “GW guarantees Presidential Academic Scholarships in amounts of $15,000 per year to National Merit Finalists…who meet the following eligibility requirements. National Merit … finalists must select GW as their college of choice with the National Merit Corporation and be selected by that organization as a National Merit Finalist”. </p>
<p>Not sure how Keilexandra, as official keeper of the list 
wants to handle this. I’d keep GWU on the Honorable Mention list, and possibly create a new category for schools like American where there is no >= $5k guarantee, but there is significant merit aid for the typical NMF.</p>
<h2>Basing a merit scholarship on SAT scores and grades is fairly typical merit-aid procedure, so that’s not much special. So I’ve removed American from the list.</h2>
<p>o Full ride is defined as minimum tuition/room/board.
o Must guarantee at least 5k or full tuition competitive to be eligible for Honorable Mention.
o U=University, C=College
o *=annual class <1k students
o ^=schools I personally find notable</p>
<p>NMF FULL TUITION+</p>
<h2>Publics</h2>
<p>U of Alabama (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition with 3.5 GPA guaranteed)
U of Alabama-Huntsville (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition guaranteed)
Alabama State U (full ride guaranteed)
Auburn U <a href=“full%20tuition+%20guaranteed”>AL</a>
U of North Alabama (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition+ guaranteed)
Troy U <a href=“full%20ride%20competitive”>AL</a>
U of Arizona (full tuition[+?] guaranteed?)
Southern Arkansas U (in-state full ride/OOS full tuition+ [full ride - 2.5k] rolling)
U of Central Florida (NMF full tuition+ guaranteed / full ride competitive & NMSF 9k guaranteed)
Florida A&M U (NMF in-state full ride & OOS full tuition guaranteed - other qualifications, see [University</a> Scholarships - Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University 2010](<a href=“Page Not Found”>Page Not Found))
U of South Florida (NMF full ride competitive - <a href=“http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/pdf/freshman-Non-florida.pdf[/url]”>http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/pdf/freshman-Non-florida.pdf</a> | <a href=“http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/pdf/freshman-florida.pdf[/url]”>http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/pdf/freshman-florida.pdf</a>)
U of Idaho (NMF full ride competitive [25])
Ball State U <a href=“NMF%20full%20ride%20guaranteed”>IN</a>
Eastern Kentucky U (in-state full ride & OOS full tuition- guaranteed)
U of Kentucky (full ride 1st year & full tuition+ remaining 3 years guaranteed)
Louisiana State U (full tuition competitive)
U of Maine (tuition- competitive)
Wayne State U <a href=“full%20ride%20competitive”>MI</a>
^*U of Minnesota-Morris (full tuition guaranteed)
^Truman State U <a href=“full%20tuition%20competitive”>MO</a>
U of Mississippi (NMF full tuition+ equivalent, less for NMSF; see [The</a> University of Mississippi ? Office of Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.olemiss.edu/finaid/scholarshiptypes.html#8]The”>http://www.olemiss.edu/finaid/scholarshiptypes.html#8))
Mississippi State U (NMF full tuition+ & NMSF full tuition- guaranteed)
U of Southern Mississippi (NMF/SF full ride competitive)
Southeast Missouri State U (NMF full ride guaranteed, NMSF full tuition- guaranteed)
U of Nebraska-Lincoln (full tuition+ competitive)
New Jersey Institute of Technology (full ride guaranteed)
New Mexico State U (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition+ guaranteed)
Cleveland State U <a href=“full%20tuition%20guaranteed”>OH</a>
Youngstown State U <a href=“full%20ride%20with%2030%20ACT/1300%20SAT%20competitive%20%5B40%5D”>OH</a>
Ohio State U (full tuition competitive)
U of Oklahoma (full tuition+ guaranteed)
Oklahoma State U (full tuition+ guaranteed)
U of Memphis <a href=“NMF%20%5B9k%20+%20OOS%20waiver%5D%20&%20NMSF%20%5B7.5k%20+%20OOS%20waiver%5D%20full%20tuition+%20guaranteed”>TN</a>
U of Houston <a href=“full%20ride%20guaranteed”>TX</a>
U of North Texas (full ride competitive)
Texas A&M U (full tuition+ competitive)
U of Texas-Dallas (full tuition+ guaranteed)
Texas Tech U (IS full ride & OOS full tuition+ [19.8k] guaranteed)
U of Texas-Tyler (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition+ guaranteed)
Washington State U (NMSF full tuition guaranteed)
West Virginia U (full tuition- guaranteed)
U of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (in-state full ride guaranteed [~4k OOS tuition difference])</p>
<h2>Privates</h2>
<p><em>Abilene Christian U (full tuition guaranteed)
Alfred U (full ride guaranteed with top 5% rank, otherwise full tuition/ride competitive)
*Alma C (full tuition guaranteed, full ride competitive [first 15 to commit])
*Andrews U (full tuition guaranteed)
Baylor U (full tuition guaranteed)
*Birmingham-Southern C (full tuition competitive)
Bradley U (full tuition guaranteed [not advertised, see <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1061891866-post29.html][/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1061891866-post29.html]</a>)
U of Dallas (NMF full tuition, NMSF 12k guaranteed)
^</em>Denison U (full tuition competitive)
Drexel U (full tuition guaranteed)
<em>U of Evansville (NMF full tuition & NMSF 75% tuition guaranteed)
*Faulkner U (NMF/SF full tuition guaranteed)
^Fordham U (full tuition+ competitive)
*Harding U (full tuition guaranteed)
*Geneva C (NMF full tuition & NMSF 3/4 tuition guaranteed)
Liberty U (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition guaranteed)
*Lipscomb U (full tuition+ guaranteed)
Long Island U-C.W. Post (full tuition competitive)
^Northeastern U (full tuition guaranteed <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1064202285-post264.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1064202285-post264.html</a>)
*Nyack C (full tuition guaranteed)
*Oakwood U (NMF full tuition+, NMSF full tuition, & NMCommended 80% tuition guaranteed)
*Oklahoma Christian U (full ride guaranteed)
*Pacific Union C (full tuition guaranteed)
*Roberts Wesleyan C (NMF full tuition & NMSF half tuition guaranteed)
*Spring Arbor U (NMF full tuition & NMSF half tuition + one-time 5k guaranteed)
*Sterling C (full tuition guaranteed)
^</em>U of Tulsa (full ride competitive [70-80])
^*Wesleyan C <a href=“full%20tuition%20competitive”>women only</a>
*Westminster C <a href=“NMF%20full%20tuition%20&%20NMSF%20half%20tuition%20guaranteed”>UT</a></p>
<p>NMF HONORABLE MENTIONS</p>
<h2>Publics</h2>
<p>Arizona State University (11k in-state, 17k OOS guaranteed)
U of Central Arkansas (12k guaranteed with 3.25 GPA)
California State U-Fullerton (in-state only: full tuition+ guaranteed)
California State U-Long Beach (in-state only: full ride competitive)
U of Florida (OOS tuition waiver + 4k guaranteed)
^*New C of Florida (17.5k guaranteed)
Iowa State U (in-state full ride competitive)
U of Kansas (10k guaranteed)
U of Louisiana-Lafayette (unclear - [UL</a> Lafayette: Academic Scholarships: High School Seniors](<a href=“Admissions & Financial Aid | UL Lafayette”>Admissions & Financial Aid | UL Lafayette))
U of Massachusetts-Amherst (in-state full ride competitive)
Michigan State U (750-2k + in-state 2k & OOS 4k and room/board competitive)
U of New Mexico (~13k [in-state full tuition] competitive)
U of Akron <a href=“6k%20guaranteed%20+%20Honors%20College%203k”>OH</a>
U of Cincinnati <a href=“in-state%20full%20tuition+%20%5BOOS%2014k%20difference%5D”>OH</a>
Wright State U <a href=“in-state%20only:%20NMF%20full%20ride%20guaranteed,%20NMSF/Commended%20full%20tuition%20guaranteed”>OH</a>
U of South Carolina (in-state up to 10k, OOS up to 6k + OOS tuition waiver)
U of Vermont (in-state NMF full tuition, OOS “up to 10k” competitive)
U of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (full in-state tuition guaranteed)</p>
<h2>Privates</h2>
<p>^<em>Beloit C (5k guaranteed)
^Boston U (half tuition competitive)
*Calvin C (10k guaranteed)
*Concordia C (14k guaranteed)
^</em>Furman U (NMSF 14k guaranteed)
^George Washington U (15k guaranteed)
Gonzaga U (6.25k guaranteed)
<em>Gordon C (75% tuition guaranteed w/ 3.5 GPA)
*Hope C (17k guaranteed)
^</em>Macalester C (5k guaranteed)
<em>Morningside C (“tuition scholarship” guaranteed - [Morningside</a> College Admissions: First-year Students Scholarships](<a href=“http://www.morningside.edu/admissions/pages/fr_scholarships.htm]Morningside”>http://www.morningside.edu/admissions/pages/fr_scholarships.htm))
*North Central C (3/4 tuition guaranteed)
^U of Rochester (17k guaranteed)
^Rochester Institute of Technology (15k guaranteed)
*U of Sioux Falls (full ride competitive [1])
^U of Southern California (half tuition guaranteed)
Southern Methodist U (half tuition + 2k guaranteed)
^</em>St. Olaf C (7.5k guaranteed)
^Vanderbilt U (5k guaranteed + 2k if awarded competitive merit)
^Worcester Polytechnic Institute (17k guaranteed)</p>
<p>Can you explain me the following thing. My question is more about 2011, so all dates are still in the future
A national merit finalist applies to 5 colleges:
- Northeastern (full tution guaranteed, notification date is in early April)
- University of Rochester (15K guaranteed, notification date is April, 1)
- University of Florida (OOS tuition waiver + 4k guaranteed, notification starts Feb, 15)
- University of Southern Calironia (half tution guaranteed, notification starts Feb, 15)
- UMass Amherst (is-state full ride competitive, UMass does not have to be selected as first choice at all, notification date unknown)</p>
<p>The deadline to select the university as a first choice lies between March 1st and May 31st.</p>
<p>I really do not understand the process that much</p>
<p>Could you please describe me how exactly the process works - when is it best to make the first choice selection, does it make sense to have it done before the notification is sent, does it make sense to to wait for notifications, e t.c.
Please give a few examples and/or possible scenarios.</p>
<p>It’s pretty simple. When you get the NMSF packet, HOLD ON TO EVERYTHING (you’ll need this paperwork later) and when it first asks you for your first-choice college, write, “Undecided.” After you decide on a university, i.e. sometime between April 1 and May 1, there is a yellow postcard that you send to the National Merit Corp. to specify/change your first-choice.</p>
<p>The reason you don’t want to specify ANYTHING except Undecided in the beginning is because some colleges will look at the lists earlier than April 1 and “award” you their scholarship; once that’s done, it’s done and you can’t change your choice.</p>
<p>Is it true that chances for NM scholarship are lower if the selection is not done by March 1st, but is done later? Would it be true to say the earlier you make your first choice the more chances you actually have for the scholarship?
Or in case the tuition is guarantreed, it is not the case?</p>
<p>Some “competitive” scholarships may be awarded first-come first-serve. Alma is one that does this, I believe. “Guaranteed” should be just that.</p>
<p>I did not get it. Could guaranteed mean first come, first serve? Or is that what competitive means?</p>
<p>Guaranteed does NOT mean first-come, first-serve, because the school GUARANTEES that every NMF who is accepted will receive the specified scholarship.</p>
<p>Competitive means that the school has set aside X number of scholarships specially for NMFs, which they can give out however they like. Some schools will consider the entire pool of on-time NMFs and award to the top of the pool; others will award them first-come, first-serve, according to whomever names them as first choice, first.</p>
<p>Now I got it. Thanks</p>
<p>Guaranteed scholarships can also have deadlines i.e. all those who apply before such a date and nominate the school before a specified date are guaranteed the NM scholarship, those who do not meet the deadlines may not not get it. So do not assume that just because they guarantee it, you can apply at any time. Also, some schools that guarantee it expect you to tell NMSC that the school in question is your first choice before a certain date and that certain date could be pretty early (like April 1st). Look at the school in question and follow their rules as each school has different rules.</p>
<p>Could it be that the first-choice designation deadline for college A is BEFORE the notification date for college A, so you have to designate college A before you are notified that you are admitted into this college?
Could it be that designation deadline for college A (even though it is AFTER notification date for college A) is before notification date for a different college B?
How exactly are you notified about notification dates in colleges and about first-choice designation deadlines in them?</p>
<p>For instance, Boston University (half tuition competitive), designation deadline for first choice is 3/15, while notification is done late March to early April (up to April 15).
Among other 4 (excluding Umass Amherst, where designation is not required at all) I see that for Northeastern designation deadline is 4/30, and I do not see deadline for University of Southern Califonia, University of Florida, University of Rochester.
So, it looks like I really need to figure out those deadlines. Does anybody know how?</p>
<p>^^^ For every college you intend to apply, you need to talk to them in advance and find out their exact time schedules and requirements.</p>
<p>Keilexandra has helped compile a very good list of colleges that offer NM aid. In addition there are other colleges that offer not that good aid, but offer some aid. For every school you apply to, find out if they offer aid for NMF and what their procedures are. You can call them up, look at their websites etc.</p>