<p>Hi all, so I'm a National Merit finalist, and I'm wavering between UCSD and USC for undergrad next year. I know USC gives half-tuition off for finalists; does anyone know if UCSD is a sponsor institution as well and gives some kind of deal for finalists? or is it only the $2,500 from the National Merit corp. that applies?</p>
<p>This is from the Chronicle of Higher Education:</p>
<p>The six University of California campuses that finance National Merit Scholarships will stop doing so in the fall of 2006, system officials announced on Wednesday, citing concerns about the use of the Preliminary SAT, or PSAT, as a qualifying examination for the scholarships.</p>
<p>In June the UC Academic Council, the systemwide faculty governing body, unanimously recommended that the six campuses stop participating in the program. The council passed a resolution saying that the use of PSAT scores as the sole criterion for the scholarships was inconsistent with the university's broad review of applicants' achievement, which includes, but is not limited to, their standardized-test scores.</p>
<p>darn. thanks for the info!</p>