Question about National Merit Scholarship

<p>We have been under the impression that if a NMF puts OSU as his/her #1 by March, OSU will award them with full tuition plus 1/2 R & B.</p>

<p>This is what we found on the OSU web site. <a href=“http://undergrad.osu.edu/merit.html#nationalmeritdist[/url]”>http://undergrad.osu.edu/merit.html#nationalmeritdist</a></p>

<p>"National Merit Scholarship </p>

<p>Award amount
$1,000, or up to $2,000 with financial need ($4,000 to $8,000 four-year value)</p>

<p>Criteria
National Merit Finalists who designate to the National Merit Corporation that Ohio State is their first-choice institution are considered for this award. "</p>

<p>Has OSU taken that scholarship off the table now?</p>

<p>I think it's worth a phone call to find out about that! It would be a change of over $10,000. I wonder if it's in here although amounts are not listed.
[quote]
Distinguished Scholarship for National Merit, National Achievement,
and National Hispanic Scholars Award </p>

<p>The amount of any other university-administered merit scholarships awarded to a Distinguished Scholar will be incorporated into their Distinguished Scholarship. However, Maximus Scholars who apply by the December 3 deadline are eligible to compete for the larger Presidential scholarship (see Maximus Competition).</p>

<p>Criteria</p>

<p>National Merit Finalists who rank in the top 10 percent of their graduating classes, and who designate to the National Merit Corporation by March 3, 2008, that Ohio State is their first-choice institution, are given priority consideration for this award.
National Achievement and National Hispanic Finalists who apply for admission by February 1, 2008, are eligible for consideration for this award.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>They have also changed the Buckeye Scholarship for out of state students. There used to be two levels and now it's only one... and it's slightly higher. I wonder if my D's award will increase next year.</p>

<p>Dad II-
The way that it worked this past year was that the National Merit Scholarship is indeed $1000.00 per year ($2000.00 if need exists)--and that is what shows up on financial aid forms. In addidtion, there is the Distinguished Award Scholarship that is given to "most NMF's" who designate OSU as first choice by March 1st. I called last year and asked what "most" meant, and was told that there may be a few exceptions depending upon grades, etc., but as far as I know, everyone who was eligible for the Distinguished Scholarship got one.</p>

<p>Thanks. </p>

<p>I will call them next week. They do not even list what is the amount for "Distinguished Scholarship for National Merit". </p>

<p>Is it ture there is only one " admission and scholrship" form to fill? That is how I see it from OSU's web site.</p>

<p>Yes, there is only one form to fill out. You will be notified of awards around the same time as you do admittance. My D was notified that she had received the Provost scholarship at that time, but in the Spring when she heard about the NMF designation, she received the Distinguished Scholarship instead because it was more than the Provost. Students eligible for the Presidents Award are also notified about going down toColumbus for additional scholarship competition. I noticed that they did not list the amount for Distinguished Scholarship--I don't know if that was an oversight or not. One thing that I will say, however, is that all of the people at the Honors college were very helpful about giving information about the various scholarships. I sent the card in to the NM Foundation naming OSU as our first choice, and called them to make sure that they had received it in mid Feb. I also called OSU to make sure that they got that information by March 1 and the woman in charge of the NM program at OSU let me know that everything was in order--For being a big school, OSU has to be one of the most organized and well-run places I have ever dealt with, and they have been more than accomadating and helpful whenever I have called them.</p>

<p>The award amount was listed in past years. Now it isn't. I don't know if that is a bad omen or not. I too would suggest calling to ask.</p>

<p>I called and here are what they told me. That Distinguished Scholarship for National Merit has been changed from full in state tuition plus $4500 to just in state tuition only. </p>

<p>However, those NMF with considered rank in the top 3 percent of their classes with ACT composite scores of 32 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math scores of 1420 or higher, could also be a Maximus scholar which has a $2700/year. One could also compete for other scholarship.</p>

<p>In other words, putting OSU as #1 for NMF is less attractive this year.</p>