@CaveMom Thanks again for the explanation.
@PatiencePls Yes, same. Hoping both our boys get great news!
The university scholarships can vary by school. If offered, the sum can add between $ 2000 to $ 5000. There are some alumni who donate smaller scholarships for National Merit Scholars.
As I have suggested many times do consider applying for local scholarships. By this date there may be limited choices, but these may be much less competitive than highly publicized national grants or scholarships.
Regarding the $2500 “official NMF sponsorship” by NMC, my understanding is that you can accept or reject it. You should only do so if you are determined to attend USC and choose the $1k/year official NMF scholarship from USC. ($1500 difference. NO, you can’t get both!).
See the related thread from last year http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1113257-help-nm-2500-scholarship-accept-reject.html
Hey I’m new to this discussion, but does anyone know when decisions will be released? Sorry if someone already asked and answered this, like I said I’m new!
@iloveavocados Welcome! Take a look post #1626 from @CADREAMIN.
Last year the acceptance packets were mailed from USC on March 23rd. These are mailed priority mail. No announcement has been made by the admissions staff regarding this year’s mailing date.
It has been posted 63,000+ applications were received for places in the freshmen class. The admit rate is expected to be in the 13% range.
@CADREAMIN Do denials also get letters in the mail or will be the same process as the scholarship notifications. You get a package you are admitted and the denials will show on the portals once updated.
My S was asked how he would convince his parents that USC was still the right school for him if he did not receive the scholarship–is that the question you are referring to?
The question threw S (but like your D nothing was at stake since he is NMF) but what a strangely inappropriate question to be asking kids that may have family financial constraints…
@planner03 my DS got the same question. We kind of expected something like this although it was at little bit of a twist. We in same situation with NMF. Good luck!
I suspect that question was posed to gauge the student’s knowledge about and passion for USC, rather than to inquire into whether the student could afford it. But agree, it’s a tough one to field from out of the blue.
My D was not asked anything relating to the scholarship and whether she would still attend USC without it. I’m not sure how she would have answered it. She felt like she and the three interviewers were simply chatting. No curveball questions.
@netopspin We did out homework when S17 was named a 2500 scholar and were told that if we rejected the 2500, we were also rejecting his NMF status. We were urged NOT to reject it (even though we knew it would amount to $1500 less at USC, along with losing some more university scholarship $ as it turned out). If you find yourself a 2500 scholar, be VERY careful before rejecting it. It is my understanding that this is a big mistake. (Even in the thread you linked, there are different opinions expressed about this.)
Also, I know that this is handled differently at different schools. Some don’t sponsor NMF (some/all ivies?) and this is the only way to be called a NM Scholar at their school, some will give you the other 1500 so that it amounts to the same, and some just replace their 1k/yr school sponsorship with the NMC sponsorship (USC).
@Tennisboy2022 They do send letters, at least they did again last year. Every year I wonder if they will go to just portal. They use to mail letters several days after packages, but last year they mailed same day so for those in Socal, they actually got letters the first day after mailing too (so on the 24th, same day as packages started arriving). Not all but some. Letters are sent first class which is slower than the priority mail they use for packages, but it seems the letters do catch up to the packages. There are several reports of letters on the first day packages were received, then from that point on.
The portals will update midnight the third day after mailing. So they went out on 23rd last year, portals updated the 26th at midnight. 12:01 to be precise was first post. They did not update all at once, takes a while.
@CADREAMIN, For those waiting on finding out what scholarship they got after their interview, it will be a letter mailed out that same day as regular decisions go out (best guess March 23) and possibly a portal update that same day or must wait for the third day for portal update?
@“Georgia Girl” where did you see 63,000+ applicants applied?
@applelover12334, it was announced at the ExploreUSC Interviews last week by Director of Admission Kirk Brennan, that nearly 64,000 applications were received and that acceptance will be roughly 13% for Fall 2018.
It was mentioned in a letter mailed to high school counselors and in a recent speech given by President Nikias.
@CADREAMIN thank you
@Nomorelurker They updated portals to include scholarship decisions the same day packets were mailed last year (2017). On March 23rd the boxes left at 3:30 pm with regular decisions and at 4:05 was the first posting that portals updated with scholarship decisions.
So they seem to load the truck then run over to the computer and upload the scholarship results.
I should note, in 2015 and 2016 they were done a few days before decisions were mailed (sometimes the Friday before) around the 18th-20th, but last year it was definitely the same day as mailing. So basing it on most recent history that would be the best guess. Always assume the latest date so you don’t go insane. Just mentioned the others because last year was the first time they did it same day as mailing.