<p>I'm not a big National Merit fan, although I acknowledge that NM funds have been helpful to some students and their parents, so it's not all bad. </p>
<p>Even so, when I read this story today, I did kind of feel the same way that I had when the franchise sandwich chain on my town's Main Street shut down. Granted, it's not a perfect analogy, but it's hard to get excited about a scholarship program that is based largely on PSAT scores and that has varying cut-offs dependent on state residency.</p>
<p>But, hopefully, NYU (not known for great financial aid in the first place) will find other ways to enable strong students to enroll, especially those who might not otherwise afford to to do. (The sandwich joint on Main Street was replaced by a locally-own business with great pizza ad live music :) )</p>
<p>Gotta love the chutzpah of someone affiliated with a private institution getting all grumpy and bothered when another private institution dares to choose how to spend their own money. :rolleyes: And really, the admissions dean at Harvard is complaining about another organization’s transparency? ROTFLOL.</p>
<p>As I was reading the words SlitheyTove quoted above, I was formulating my own response–and then read that he had said the same thing.</p>
<p>Therefore, I’ll add other criticisms of this article.</p>
<p>NYU’s withdrawal is not a “blow to National Merit;” students who wish to receive National Merit money can choose to attend another college, making this a blow to NYU, not to National Merit.</p>
<p>The complaint that we don’t get “any information about whether or not this very large amount of money is used by, for example, large numbers of people who have great financial need” makes no sense. This is a merit scholarship (hence the name) and I, for one, would have resented having to disclose my family’s private financial information so my daughter could receive a merit scholarship.</p>
<p>Similarly, the complaint that National Merit has never been transparent about ethnic diversity doesn’t hold water. First, aiming for ethnic diversity shouldn’t necessarily be a goal for a truly merit-based scholarship. Second, National Merit also offers the National Achievement Scholarship Program for black high school students. I can tell Mr. Fitzsimmons right now that those recipients are not a diverse lot; 100% of them are of the same race.</p>
<p>There’s more, but I’ve spent enough time responding to this, and my family’s laundry needs some attention.</p>
<p>Perhaps William Fitzsimmons, admissions dean at Harvard, should suggest that his institution end the practice of using minimum test scores for admissions.</p>