Schools that rejected your DS or DD who is a NMF

^^Same.

U Chicago has Stamps scholars, which is full ride. And they combine merit with aid money, so it is possible some kids may show 1/2 of the package in merit.

U Chicago got rid of their long standing additional (annual) scholarship for NMF last year around the decision time, I believe. A lot of parents like me had to find out the hard way.

Vandy has three full tuition signature scholarships, which leaves your COA only your room and board. Vandy does provide additional NMF scholarship every year while you are attending. That explains the number of NMF there.

Our HS also doesn’t rank. We had 5 NMF last year, and one NMS.

My kid submitted ACT as well,
We were told by our GC that if there are several kids with similar stats from a school who are all applying to the same university, NMSF could be an additional “merit” thing that could help.
In a class where there are 12 NMSFs out of 55 students not qualifying would definitely be a disadvantage.

@menloparkmom @hopewhite25 totally agree. and @Wisdom2share totally disagree. It is in no way a disadvantage - one is not expected to be one. I too have a child that was accepted to many top 20/30 schools (Vanderbilt, UVA, WashU, Michigan, Berkeley/UCLA, and Ivy) and she got in OVER others at her school that were NMF - in fact, she was the only one that got into one particular Ivy over the other NM scholars that applied there and in a few of her other top 20 schools. The Vanderbilt full tuition signature scholarships have nothing to do with NM - they are by application. Too much emphasis is placed on NM - again one test, one day. Much more weight is placed on 4 years of taking classes, rigor, grades in those classes, other standardized test scores - ACT/SAT and/or subject tests AND ECs, ESSAYS, and RECs.

I don’t think NMF is a big deal-at all. Until they make the test more difficult the achievement just isn’t that great. I would think of it being something above honor society and well below any national/state level achievement. In some schools there are many, many recipients. What makes people think this is important? The words in the name? National and Merit?

I don’t think that anybody on this thread has mentioned that the NMSF cutoff score varies from state to state.

For the class of 2018, the lowest was 211 (North Dakota, West Virginia, and “US Territories”) and the highest was 223 (DC, New Jersey, and “US Citizens Studying Abroad”). That’s a huge spread!

So, the prestige of NMF to AOs (if there is any) should be dependent on where you went to HS. Declaring NMF on an app without disclosing the PSAT score may not impress. If I were an AO, and I cared about such things, I’d flip to page one of the app and see where the kid resides.

@SincererLove, I know Division 3 schools doesn’t award athletic scholarships. Do you know types of scholarship are given out to U Chicago varsity athletic students? Looking at some school with varsity men’s soccer program? Does varsity athlete least receive free room and board at UChicago? I’m unclear how to reduce COA for varsity athlete at D3 schools?

rejected by MIT, UChicago, Rice, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon and UCBerkley.

@Happytimes2001 Do you know how many students were Inductee to Honor Society and How many NMF at your school. Our school, 600 students, 180 HS and 3 NMF. Not a big deal and also not a good comparison…

Honor Society is one I can’t see bothering with! It exists so the members can honor themselves!

@texaggie , even D1s don’t offer full ride to all sports. Vandy swimmers for example is anywhere from 25% to 50%. I am not sure about men"s soccer. DS20 plays, but has no desire to play in college.

U Chicago gave D $20k a year after D emailed about her MIT COA is cheaper than U Chicago’s. We are full pay. I think the best strategy might be with another offer. U Chicago is the school who is very flexible with their merit and combination of their packages.

@SincererLove So, sports or not, if accepted to UChicago, expect to pay 40K a year? Looks like staying near home will is best bet. thanks,

@texaggie , check their Net Price Calculator. They are very accurate. YMMV

@texaggie D3 schools are not permitted to provide any type of financial preferential treatment to their athletes. If U of Chicago awards any type of financial assistance, the award will not be based on athletics.

@twoinanddone , @LvMyKids2 and @Wisdom2share - I started this thread as an assist to upcoming NMSF/F as they prepare for the application season. I wanted to “open their eyes” to the relative worth of NMF at selective schools. It is my opinion that it means very little in the admission process. I think this is the case for several reasons. First, not everyone takes the PSAT. Second, it falls into the the “one test on one day” category to AOs. Third, the real tests (SAT/ACT) scores drive admission (I have never seen PSAT score attainment reported on admission stats). Finally, most highly selective schools do not participate in NMSC college sponsored scholarships. This final point is telling. If there is significant value, I would expect selective schools to be participants.

My experience this year tells me the NM status can be used for Financial Aid or to help a school bolster their own admission stats. I was in denial that it meant more than that. It gave me a false sense that my sons had a real shot at a selective school. That turned out to be a tough lesson for me to learn. My sons are happy with their choices of schools.

One other caution to parents. I am aware that many on this forum are like me, helicopter parents. My advice, provide guidance and support. Don’t take over the process or shape it to your vision of what is ‘right’ for your child. Your child will do great at whatever school they end up attending, even without your help (gasp!).

I look forward to more discussion on the topic.

@usma87 I wholeheartedly agree. Having already gone through this with one, and ready for the next, the college process is competely eye opening! I was so hung up on the NM thing for my 1st and had her study and she missed it. In the end, did not matter at all with the selection of all the colleges she was admitted. And yes, many that some of the NMSF at her school were denied. That to me was telling. It was the entire application - grades/test scores/ECs/essays and recs - that mattered most at the selective schools. When it comes down to it, you put your best foot forward and hope for a bit of luck for the selective schools, and what happens, happens. I think 99% of kids do get into the right school for them.

I also agree that it has no real bearing on admissions at most schools. At best, it’s a “nice to have” for highly selective schools. I do, however, think it can be a very nice to have when affordability is an issue and you are building your college list, so long as a kid is willing to consider the schools that offer money for NMF.

@suzy100 - I agree - when I finally considered it as a FA boost, it totally made sense in my mind. If that is your goal with NMSC status, then there are several threads on CC that provide a great list of schools that offer aid for NMF status (not to be confused with NMSC College Sponsored Scholarships).

What happens to a National Merit Scholar’s $2,500 scholarship if he recieves an acceptance from a waitlist in june or july? Since NM foundation has May, 31st as last date to designate school choice, is he going to loose that money or is there an option to switch designation at that point? I’m guessing if its a college of their dreams then probably student and parents wouldn’t mind loosing $2,500 but would like to get it.

Someone else can correct me, but recipients of the $2500 awards are not obligated to attend the school they named as their first choice. So they should still get the $2500.