My D just got accepted at USC in CS/BA Program at Viterbi. She is a National Merit Finalist (NMF). She missed the early application deadline. She did not get any aid! She is keen on pursuing USC. I read online that USC offers 50% tuition waiver for NMF. Any ideas? What can we do to appeal?
Did she apply by the December 1st merit deadline?
@menloparkmom your thoughts?
Nope. We didn’t realize and missed it. 
You can try calling. You aren’t really appealing. You are throwing yourself at the mercy of the court.
USC needs to throw some good will bones this year.
USC offers some merit scholarships to NMF. I don’t think they are automatic.
USC offers 1/2 tuition to all NMF. All. @menloparkmom has verified this again and again.
What I don’t know is if the applicant is required to meet an early deadline for filing for this aid. Hoping @menloparkmom sees this and responds. She knows.
“USC offers some merit scholarships to NMF. I don’t think they are automatic.”
NOT true.
One more time- I have capitalized the important points in this recent [Dec 2018] email from the Dean of Admissions at USC, so there is hopefully NO further confusion.
"There are NO changes (nor are we presently contemplating any changes) to
the way that we award Presidential Scholarships to National Merit
Finalists. It continues to be the case that EVERY USC-admitted National
Merit Finalist, who formally indicates to the National Merit Scholarship
Corporation that USC is their first-choice institution, WILL be awarded
a Presidential Scholarship.
I also know that from time-to-time on CC, posters theorize that we
somehow seek to minimize the number of NM admits so as to reduce the
university’s scholarship spending. This is absolutely NOT the case and
is illogical. We maintain this particular practice as a way to encourage
NMFs to consider USC."
Ok! So @menloparkmom …all the OP’s student needs to do is name USC as #1 choice thru NMCorp by May 1st?
“What I don’t know is if the applicant is required to meet an early deadline for filing for this aid”
No they are not.
So @mmkedia ,
Congratulations!
IF your DD DOES decide to enroll at USC, after she notifies USC by May 1, she needs to notify NMSF by Mid- May, if not sooner, that USC IS her first choice.
She will then receive notice [though perhaps not immediately ] that the USC sponsored Nation Merit 1/2 tuition scholarship WILL be awarded to her. it will reduce the tuition payment due to USC in mid Aug. In addition, she will receive an additional $1000/ year from NM as well.
@mom2collegekids
"all the OP’s student needs to do is name USC as #1 choice thru NMCorp by May 1st? "
she ALSO has to let USC know that she IS enrolling there by May 1.
@thumper1 @menloparkmom. Thank you for the clarification. It is unclear on the website that the Presidential is automatic for NMF. It says students may be selected/will be considered if they are NMF.
@MA2012 I would also talk to the school’s FA office or Registrar’s Office to ask if this is how it works, since the school website is unclear. The website may be unclear because of the notifications to NMCorp and USC about first choice by the date.
National merit awards are not handled by the financial aid offices at most schools…because they are MERIT awards. In most cases, merit awards are done by admissions.
The OP might need to call admissions and inquire…they will know who she should talk to.
@menloparkmom right?
@thumper1 - correct but
there really is no need to call admissions, especially in light of the fraudulent admissions uproar going on now. I think that students and parents only have to look at the following post containing previous information re: how and when USC notifies students that they are eligible for the scholarship- again from the Dean of Admissions-
"Thanks for your writing and for your continued presence on College Confidential. The misinformation runs rampant and it is refreshing to see that there are a few folks who are willing to set the record straight.
Nothing has changed in regards to our practice with National Merit Finalists:
· NMSC periodically sends us rosters of NMFs who have indicated that USC is their first-choice. We have already received one such roster and expect a couple more before the end of the month
· Once we’ve selected our admitted class (which, as you know, will be done next week), we then formally award Presidential Scholarships to admitted NMFs, and send them an award letter.
· NMSC continues to send rosters throughout April and May, with the last one usually coming in late May. This piecemeal approach causes no real problems for us; we just keep making Presidential awards as student’s names show up.
Students don’t need (and never have had) to tell NMSC before May 1 that we are their first choice and I believe that NMSC allows students to change their designation anytime between now and the end of May. Bottom-line is that as long as we receive a roster from NMSC with an admitted student’s name on it indicating a USC first-choice, he or she will be awarded a Presidential, regardless of when that roster comes to us."
re: the website not being clear- it’s been that way for years- I dont know why, but that is why I stay in direct touch with the Dean of Admissions at USC re the NMS scholarships.
Thanks so much for clarification!
Admissions and the Registrar are two different things. How FA office interacts with admissions can be unique.
It doesn’t hurt to find out information on NM deadlines either about roster information for choice of college.
Yes USC is in a mess. That doesn’t mean students and parents cannot ask for and receive relevant information.
IDK about the info @menloparkmom posted.
How one wants to ‘nail down’ their college process is up to the student and parent.
USC is very helpful when you call an no they are not in a mess, in fact they are better than ever. I would rely on information from those that have actual experience with USC. @menloparkmom has been on the USC forum for years and only has the best interest of the applicants as her motivation while representing the processes of USC correctly. The USC forum has several well informed and connected (and well meaning) posters that do their part on cc to give back to students/applicants and support the Trojan community and students in general, which is what cc is all about. They are easy to spot, so are the haters.
Those with actual personal experience with any school often provide the best and most helpful information.
Thanks so much. We did reach out to FA/Admissions. They confirmed that NMF will qualify for Presidential scholarships. Thanks @menloparkmom and team. We are trying to figure out dates when they will finalize.
Any guidance on that?