@CaveMom …so admitting to Oreos might have been my downfall?
@cgb2017 I’m sure that’s what it was!
While we’re on the topic of the snack question; have they had it in past years? I wonder if they’re going to like, have that snack when you interview for scholarships. Maybe they’ll use something from that section creatively to try to woo you.
@WWWard
thank you.
I do know that USC does give the NMF scholarships, under the conditions described, despite what others have sometimes believed over the years, but having it in writing is very helpful.
Anyone going to feb 23-14th Explore USC? @kbn2015 that’s when I’m going
@TreeLights the questions were different last year! I started my application way early and saw the questions from the last cycle. The question about travel, snack, and hashtag didn’t exist! Instead, it asked about your favorite book and person who inspires you the most.
@menloparkmom you’re welcome.
march 6-7 explore USC anyone? LMK!
I have a naive probably laughable question. Say if an NMF gets Presidential Scholarship, which pays for 1/2 of the tuition. Is the same NMF still eligible for the national merit scholarship which also pays for 1/2 of the tuition? See where I am going. Try to get a full tuition coverage.
Not laughable at all, PrimeNumber2. But the competitive (by interview) Presidential cannot be added to (stacked) the NMF 1/2 tuition award. You might still be eligible for other smaller awards, however.
To add to what madbean stated above, in addition to the 1/2 tuition from USC, if you are NMF but not chosen as one of the 7500 National Merit scholarship by National Merit Corportaion, you will get additional college-sponsored $1000/year scholarship for the next 4 years. Lastly, as a NMF Presidential Scholar, USC also awarded my S a $2000/year University Scholarship, which we did not ask for. It is my understanding that the amount of University Scholarship can vary from $1000-5000/year depending on your need. So, USC was very generous with my S in terms of scholarships. FYI, my S did not get any financial aid from USC.
I really need help with some questions about Explore USC on the 27th and 28th. Admissions won’t take calls again til Monday and I really want to RSVP.
First, when is free housing in the dorms offered? Just on the 27th and/or 28th, or on the 26th at night also so that we can arrive a day before?
Second, if it is not offered on the 26th, does everyone usually just book a hotel that night? I can’t imagine flying in in the morning and then going directly to start the program.
Thanks so much in advance to anyone that can help me out :)!!
@Anamgol – if I may follow up on your post above…
“if you are NMF but not chosen as one of the 7500 National Merit scholarship by National Merit Corporation”
So the NMF chooses 7500 of the 15,000 finalists for a scholarship? Can this scholarship be used at any school or only at certain schools? What is the amount of that scholarship and is it for four years or only freshman year?
I like the ‘scholarship that you did not ask for’!
@CT1417 If you go to National Merit Corporation website, it will state it in more detail. Briefly, among the 15000 NMF, only 7500 will be chosen as the National Merit Scholarship winners. The award is a one time $2500 (one time) and I think the award has to be used for the first choice college you selected. But if you are not chosen for this one time award, USC will award you $1000/year for 4 years (it is called National Merit Scholarship on our USC bill). So, it was actually better in my S’s case to not be chosen for the one-time $2500 award since he ended up getting $4000 (total in 4 years). Also, as mentioned, USC also gave my S (and presumably other scholarship students) a $2000/year University Scholarship, which I found out that is also renewable for 4 years.
@Anamgol – thank you! All good info to file away. Thanks for the detailed response.
“if you are NMF but not chosen as one of the 7500 National Merit scholarship by National Merit Corportaion,”
CORRECTION-
There are ONLY 2500 , NOT 7500 scholarships that are given directly to tip top students selected by NMC.
“National Merit
®
$2500 Scholarships
The National Merit $2500 Scholarships are an inte-
gral part of the National Merit Scholarship Program
because all Finalists compete for these awards and
winners are named in every state and selection unit .
A Selection Committee, made up of college admis-
sion officers and high school counselors, convenes to
select winners of these one-time awards . In the 2015
program, most of the 2,500 National Merit $2500
Scholarships were financed by
nmsc
with its own
funds .”
http://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/images/gid2/editor_documents/annual_report.pdf
ALL OTHER NMF scholarships are paid for by either Corporate Sponsors or by the colleges that Sponsor the NMS Foundation. About 5000 are awarded to students attending sponsoring colleges or to students who have parents working for the Corporations…
scroll to page 29 on the link to the NMC annual report to see the complete list of colleges and corporate sponsors and how many scholarships they each sponsored last year.
Scroll down to page 36 to see where NM scholars ended up enrolling.
If a USC bound NMF -ist is awarded one of the one time $2500 scholarships, they CAN decline them AND then be eligible to receive the $ 1000/ per year scholarship, in addition to the 1/2 tuition NMF scholarship provided by USC.
^^ edit
Should have said those 5000 scholarships are provided to the students by either the corporate sponsors or by the colleges where the students are enrolled.
@heysaykayy24 if they have Oreos and goldfish and stuff ready for the scholarship kids, I want everyone to know that I called it. I hope they do, that would be really cool, a lot of work, but really cool. I know some schools do personalize things to send to admits, so who knows ¯_(ツ)_/¯
@jakea33 That’s a good question re: night before. D is coming from Nor Cal so she’s just going to fly down on a 6:30 or 7 am flight and hit the ground running but that could be impossible if you are coming from farther away. Rest assured though others will also be a bit bedraggled and sleepy. 
[aB][acolor=#008000]Decision: Accepted [/color]**
I am interviewing for the trustee scholarship in February
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): didn’t take
ACT (breakdown): 30
SAT II:
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.98
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 21/352
AP (place score in parenthesis): 4 on stat, 3 on chem, 3 on world history. 9 AP classes total
IB (place score in parenthesis): not offered
Senior Year Course Load: AP calculus BC, AP physics 1, AP gov/AP micro, advanced composition, peer facilitation class (working with special needs students), body sculpting
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
3 Year Varsity Cheerleader (captain)
Competitive Cheerleader (2015 world champion)
National Honor Society (president)
Founder of Friend’s Club
Student Government (president x2, treasurer)
Beta Club
Job/Work Experience:
Summer camp instructor
Chick-Fil-A Employee
Tutor
Volunteer/Community service:
Volunteer every Sunday at Church
Member of community service outreach program
Summer Activities:
2x Costa Rican Missionary
Essays (rating 1-10, details):
Academic Interest: 8 Wrote about my passion with working with children with special needs in the classroom, and how I want to learn how to use these abilities and talents through occupational therapy
Additional Academic Interest:7 Wrote about my interest in the political field, not to pursue a career, but to be a positive contribution to the political world, especially in today’s age
Personal Essay: 8 Wrote about losing my dad to suicide, and how I have grown from that, prospered, and been a light in the community of mental health
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):
Teacher Rec #1: did not read
Teacher Rec #2: did not read
Counselor Rec: did not read
Additional Rec: 8 This was from the special education teacher.
Interview: did not have one
Other
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Occupational Therapy
State (if domestic applicant): GA
Country (if international applicant): USA
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Income Bracket:
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.)
Reflection
Strengths: I have a lot of experience with special needs children, and wrote passionately about it, very involved
Weaknesses: ACT score
Why you think you were accepted/deferred/rejected: The OT program is fairly small, and few high schoolers know what OT is, so I lucked out because of my experience
Where else were you accepted/deferred/rejected:
General Comments :