U of Florida - #2 to Harvard in attracting NMS winners, cuts merit funds to lure them

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<p>Strong Applicants Prompt U. of Florida to Slash Funds for National Merit Scholars</p>

<p>The University of Florida announced this week that it was cutting the amount of money it would use to lure National Merit Scholars to enroll because it does not need such inducements to attract academically talented applicants, the St. Petersburg Times reported today. Starting this fall, the Merit Scholars—who are distinguished by their scores on the Preliminary SAT—will be eligible for much smaller aid packages, whether or not they live in Florida.</p>

<p>It’s a major change for the university, which has long used generous scholarships to compete for top students who might otherwise go to the Ivy League. In 2004, for example, Florida ranked second only to Harvard in its number of National Merit Scholars (The Chronicle, Almanac Issue, August 26, 2005).</p>

<p>Florida officials said the shift, which may save $6-million to $8-million, simply reflects the high quality of the applications it receives nowadays. Last summer, six University of California campuses said they would stop financing National Merit Scholarships because they regarded the PSAT as too narrow a gauge of ability and as disproportionately hampering the educational aspirations of students from underrepresented minority groups (The Chronicle, July 14, 2005).</p>

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<p>"Last summer, six University of California campuses said they would stop financing National Merit Scholarships because they regarded the PSAT as too narrow a gauge of ability..."</p>

<p>Sounds spot-on to me.</p>