<p>Reading here for a while, I'm arriving at the conclusion that for a student interested in going for a caliber school, what goes on the National Merit form as the first and second choice schools for a NM Commendation student (not a SF/F) doesn't really matter too much.</p>
<p>Apparently there are schools that "care" about students that early show an interest in the school, but that would be a minuscule factor, even if the school does care. But most schools don't care anyway.</p>
<p>There are a few schools that offer small scholarships if you put them in the first slot or something, and end-up going there. Also I read that Rice will send you a voucher which allows you to apply for free (better than a sharp stick in the eye, but it's a drop in the bucket money-wise and not worth basing your strategy on).</p>
<p>The bonus question would be "what outstanding engineering schools in the southeast would it make sense to put down?", but more importantly, I'm interested in whether you agree or disagree with the idea that it's not a huge strategic decision and why.</p>
<p>I agree with you. There are lots of way to indicate interest. And the schools will already know that you are in a group of high scorers if you indicate that you want to get info from colleges. It doesn’t hurt anyone to use this service, but it is not going to influence your application at all, either.</p>
<p>Our S didn’t designate any school because he honestly wasn’t sure which one he wanted. The CC said it might be a slight “tip” factor if he honestly had a preference and Boston U said they didn’t award him any merit aid because he didn’t designate them as his 1st choice. He still had several very attractive merit options for engineering (tho none in NE). UAz & AzU both offered close to full-ride, USantaClara offered 1/2 tuition + & USoCal (where he matriculated) offered 1/2 tuition +; he didn’t designate his 1st choice until April, after he received all his acceptances & decided where he would enroll.</p>
<p>If you do designate your 1st choice, you can still change to name another school or “undecided” before a deadline, but S didn’t want to choose because he honestly wasn’t sure where he wanted to attend.</p>
<p>The 1st choice thing is completely different from the issue the OP is talking about. All juniors who are commended get an opportunity to indicate interest in 2 schools in the spring. People spend lots of time angonizing and strategizing over something that will have little, if any, impact on the final outcome of their application. </p>
<p>However, once you are a senior and named a semi-finalist, you have the opportunity to name a school as your first choice. This choice has much more of an impact as it can result in scholarship money if the school participate in the NM program. </p>
<p>Remember, you CAN change your mind before the deadline to undecided or a school you prefer. I believe the deadline to make the change was April 1, but double-check.</p>
<p>HImom, If a student is applying to several colleges that do offer merit money to NMFs, would the best choice be to remain “undecided?” I’m glad the kids can change it, yet it’s confusing to me.</p>
<p>You’re not choosing your top two right now, just who you’d like to see the PSAT scores. The point at which you choose two or remain undecided isn’t til you’re named a semifinalist.</p>
<p>pugmadkate,
If your child seriously considering several schools, some of which give scholarships for NM, for strategic purposes he should probably name one of them. It does show interest, and the school obviously cares about NM if they give scholarships based on it. If he ends up choosing to matriculate at a different one, he will have to notify the NMC.</p>
<p>nngmm is correct. Students can choose a school as their first choice school and then change it at a later time. The deadline for changing is around April 20, so students can wait until they get their acceptances and still change. I had 2 kids who ended up changing and it is a realitively painless process as long as you do it before the deadline.</p>
<p>Thanks, all, for your input. This site, made up of folks like you, is a great resource.</p>
<p>shennie>All juniors who are commended get an opportunity to indicate interest in 2 schools in the spring.</p>
<p>That’s exactly what I was asking about. We’re in a very competitive county, so chances of going beyond Commendation are not at all promising, which is why I was asking about that, versus students who might “make the cut”.</p>
<p>CountingDown>The point at which you choose two or remain undecided isn’t til you’re named a semifinalist. </p>
<p>Thanks for confirming. Not a decision to be made here though, unfortunately.</p>
<p>nngmm>If any of the schools you are interested in and are applying will give you a voucher for a free app, I’d go for it. </p>
<p>Probably good advice. Might as well save an application fee!</p>