<p>I am a national merit finalist and I heard that U of R gives a substantial scholarship to finalists. Is this scholarship guaranteed?
How much is it? (it says $22K on the website, but I heard $17K elsewhere)
How do you qualify for it? (by what date must I indicate U of R is my 1st choice?)</p>
<p>D is receiving the NM scholarship for all 4 years. In itself, it’s not much, but NM recipients also get another merit scholarship as well (like Rush Rhees scholarship, for example).</p>
<p>This is what Charles Puls, the Director of Financial Aid, told me in an e-mail:</p>
<p>“For students being admitted for the Fall of 2010, the University of Rochester has committed to provide a Wilder Trustee Scholarship of $15,000 to all National Merit Finalists, in addition to the National Merit Scholarship they are receiving (regardless of whether the scholarship is funded by NMSC, an outside corporation, or the University).”</p>
<p>I’m not sure why it differs so much from what the website says, but I guess that’s the official standing of the University. The $15,000 Wilder Trustee Scholarship in combination with the standard $2,500 National Merit Scholarship would total $17,500, which could explain how sciencegal got her number. If anyone hears something different, I would be very interested to hear it.</p>
<p>I’m almost certain that the national merit award is 22,000, but this Trustee scholarship in addition is definitely news to me. Does this mean we essentially get full tuition? I wish we had some more clear answers about this, haha.</p>
<p>The e-mail I received was a response to my own inquiries about the $22,000 scholarship, which, at the time, I also thought was guaranteed. I was confused about how a college-sponsored National Merit Scholarship could be $22,000, since NMSC rules are pretty clear that it cannot be more than $2,500. The Director was explaining that, in addition to the National Merit Scholarship (max $2,500), the school rewards Finalists with a Wilder Trustee Scholarship of $15,000 in order to give us huge benefits without violating the rules of NMSC. My guess is that the $22,000 number listed on the Common Questions page of the financial aid website was the combined number for last year that has simply not been updated to this year’s scholarship of a maximum $17,500, decreased perhaps due to the recession. As far as authorities go, I’m fairly certain the Director of Financial Aid would be the most well-informed about scholarships. However, if I find out anything new, I will post it here.</p>
<p>I wonder…is there a difference between telling U of R that I am a National Merit Finalist and putting U of R as my first choice college for National Merit.</p>
<p>Let me weigh in… National Merit Finalists who designate Rochester as their first choice school by May 1st will recieve the Wilder Trustee Scholarship of $15,000 plus $2,000 from the National Merit Scholarship. The $22,000 scholarship was offered in previous years but is no longer. Scholarships of that amount are awarded still, but at the discretion of the office and based on merit, as all other scholarships are. If a National Merit Finalist is qualified to recieve a higher scholarship than the Wilder Trustee Scholarship, they will recieve the higher amount, but it isn’t gauranteed.</p>
<p>Are the $15,000 and the $2,000 scholarships renewable for all four years? When will the applicants be informed of the scholarships?</p>
<p>Yes, they are renewable all four years as long as the student remains in academic good standing (a.k.a. passing his/her classes). I believe we deliver scholarship information according to the usual process, and send a revised scholarship once documentation is recieved from National Merit - I will double check on that though to be absolutely sure and post that information later today.</p>
<p>My daughter is a NM finalist, but she put down Lehigh as her top choice, not UR. She has applications outstanding to both at this point in time. </p>
<p>Can she still get a UR scholarship (aside from need based aid) based on her NM status?</p>
<p>My understanding is that if she changes her first choice to UR by May 1st, she can still receive the NMF scholarship.</p>
<p>I received the Dean’s scholarship in the mail today ($10,000 per year) and I am also a national merit finalist. I have not, however, heard anything from UR about the Wilder Trustee Scholarship.
Assuming I have the Wilder, will it stack with the Dean’s scholarship? Will I receive 27,000 per year?</p>
<p>As I understand it, UR only awards one major merit scholarship per student. I wouldn’t assume that you will receive both Dean’s AND Wilder scholarships unless you are notified of this. </p>
<p>What I believe happens is that once you have designated UR as your first choice with National Merit, your financial aid will be recalculated and you will be awarded the Wilder ($15,000) instead of the Dean’s Scholarship.</p>
<p>The other $2000 scholarship comes from National Merit itself and not from UR.</p>
<p>Have you officially listed UR as your first choice with National Merit?</p>
<p>I was not a National Merit Finalist, but I received a letter in the mail today saying that I was awarded the Wilder Trustee Scholarship. Is this a fluke?</p>
<p>No, it’s not a fluke. National Merit has nothing to do with Wilder.</p>
<p>Thank you 
I’m very excited about $15,000 a year!</p>
<p>Is there a link? </p>
<p>I know about Fordham, Alabama and Oklahoma. </p>
<p>Thanks !</p>
<p>Some clarification… The Wilder Trustee Scholarship is a scholarship that is granted to high-achieving students, including non-National Merit finalists. However, a national merit finalist who designates Rochester as his/her first choice school recieves the Wilder Trustee Scholarship, unless he/she has already been given a scholarship of a higher amount.</p>