<p>So my son received his finalist notification yesterday, but I have a question. Should he be sending an update to his colleges about this or do they just assume that most semi-finalists make it into finalist standing anyway? And, most of the colleges he applied to are ivy's or similar and do not offer merit scholarships-- so does that make it even less important to update them with this new designation?</p>
<p>Just wondering how big a deal it is to let them know he's become a finalist.
Have many of you (or your kids) updated your colleges about it?
Thanks--</p>
<p>I got FLAMED over on the Yale board for saying I was goint to be advising my daughter to send in her finalist notification (God willing that she gets one). However…I’ll tell you something I learned today:</p>
<p>My D has applied for scholarships at her in state public safety. One of their bigger scholarships “gives preference to National Merit finalists”. This scholarship is announced long before their deadline to list them as first choice school (which is for ANOTHER, smaller scholarship).</p>
<p>So…I just called National Merit to ask if colleges bought finalist lists, or does the student need to notify the college? He said they ONLY names they give to colleges are those where the student lists them as first choice.</p>
<p>So…if you want a school to know you made it to finalists, in some way other than by selecting them as your first choice school, such as thinking it might help you in your acceptance/denial…then, yes - YOU must notify them. Most have a fax line to admissions where you could send something like that.</p>
<p>I think elite schools probably ASSUME finalist, since the numbers are so high of those who make finalist as compared to those who don’t. But, an example like this particular scholarship circumstance, I think is one reason why you WOULD want to notify them. </p>
<p>I’m going to MAKE my daughter send it to this one school because it’s her only academic and financial safety.</p>
<p>I’m afraid to go look at the Yale board…why would you get flamed for that? Kids send in updates all the time if they’ve achieved something post application. Why would it be any different for NMF?</p>
<p>Well, since SO many of the semi finalists make it to finalists, I guess they assume that anyone who is applying to Ivies will be making it. But, there was just one very nasty poster on there, something like (“there would be absolutely nothing less interesting to Yale than your child making finalist”). It was just childish and silly. But I know how to use my “ignore” button. Basically, I read it as “If you didn’t get a Nobel Prize, don’t bother to send it in because you can’t possibly be as good as I am. EVERY applicant to Yale is a National Merit finalist”. </p>
<p>I will say I have found Yale to have more nasty people than the other Ivies. It’s interesting, I have a very distinct feeling about each school…JUST based on what I’ve seen at CC. Not very accurate, I’m sure. But…some seem more helpful, others - um - “less intelligent”, etc. It’s been quite a year helping my daughter research (I was orphaned very young and had no money for college, and I don’t think any “aid” back then…my counselor never said a word and I was raised by a sister at that time just a few years old than I was…blind leading the blind…I had no CLUE college was even important…fewer kids went then too…anyway…THAT is why I need so much research). But I’ll be GLAD when this process of over - to be SURE!</p>
<p>^^^ wow, that’s a real bummer how things went on the Yale board. </p>
<p>But, just to reiterate my question-- anybody…</p>
<p>notwithstanding the scholarship issue, is it important or beneficial in any way (toward admissions decisions) to update the Ivy’s regarding National Merit Finalist standing (as opposed to them just knowing that you were a NM Semi-finalist??</p>