<p>While we're waiting on finalist notification, I thought it might be interesting to see what schools kids are considering. I know that for some NM kids, a school awarded NM package doesn't factor into their college choice. But for those who are choosing based on NM scholarships, what schools are your kids seriously considering?</p>
<p>My son considered only OK schools (he doesn't want to be too close to home but not too far away)...TU, OSU and OU. After visiting all three, he chose OU. Their scholarship isn't quite as good as the other two (which offer full rides), but there were some intangibles that really swayed him. Also, both times we visited, he liked the campus vibe there more than that of either of the other two schools. They're both great schools but just didn't feel right for him.</p>
<p>I graduated from OU, and loved it. W/o the NMF scholarship, it is out of reach for us (OOS), as even their “top” academic scholarship would not cover enough of the cost. They put together a nice package for NMF. If he liked the food, just wait until they line up the grills outside and cook out there. Watch out for the freshman 15 Good luck to him!</p>
<p>fredsfam…I’m still crossing my fingers for the appeal to work out for you guys. What schools is your son considering if the appeal doesn’t work out? </p>
<p>My DH graduated from OU, as well, and loved it there. My son could stand a freshman 15 (or 20)! He’s pretty thin. That all you can eat Chick-Fil-A is a little slice of heaven for him. And Freshens for dessert…what more can a kid ask for? Ha!</p>
<p>Freshens is frozen yogurt…with toppings. They also have smoothies. </p>
<p>Seriously, the dessert selection in the OU cafeteria is unbelievable. The pies, cakes and cookies from the Norman bakery are so yummy. If I were in school there, I think I’d go for lunch and eat until dinner. It’s almost like being on a cruise…endless food. ;)</p>
<p>I have a question about the merit scholar award. The guideline says that a student can only be offered one type of award ($2500, college sponsored, or corporate sponsored). D’s first and second choice colleges do not offer any national merit scholarship, so she put “undecided” for the college choice on the national merit semifinalist application. These two colleges will not send acceptance/rejection letters until the end of March. Her third or fourth choice college offers very high amount of scholarship for national merit finalists (full tuition plus a few thousands more). If she is offered the $2500 scholarship in March and not get admitted to her first choice college, would she be able to change her college choice to her third college and get the college sponsored scholarship? Or is she stuck with the $2500?</p>
<p>Anxious, it depends on the school, I believe. Different schools have different commitment deadlines. For example, OU’s deadline to name them as first choice is 4/30. TU has a deadline of 4/1, I think. So if she doesn’t get accepted to her top choices, she could still change her school selection up to the school’s deadline. </p>
<p>Also, not all finalists become scholars, so unless she gets a school sponsored award, she may or may not get any money.</p>
<p>If you are selected for the $2500 award from NMC, then that’s what you would get in any case.</p>
<p>Any college-sponsored award larger than $1,000-2,000/year is not an official NMF award and would not be affected by the NMC $2,500 award. In fact some colleges giving large awards will let you have the $2,500 in addition to the school scholarship.</p>
<p>My son is considering Tulsa, Bama and U of Alabama Huntsville, which wouldn’t have been on his list without NMSF. He has also applied to 9 other schools, only one of which gives significant merit due to NM. His other schools range from top 10 LACs to regional schools on US News list. He really cast a wide net.</p>
<p>Longhaul, my oldest son is in his second semester (took two years off between HS and college) at TU. He is studying ChemE and loves it there, except for the food. ;)</p>
<p>Long list, as my son has significant LDs and his GPA is not as strong as most NMFs. He’s considering OU, UA, TU, Baylor, Austin College (all good packages) and Sewanee (no scholarship info yet). Still waiting for some “top 20” decisions that would not offer any $. (if he’s admitted, there will be some tough conversations around our house).</p>
<p>He got nice offers from Cornell College and Milsaps, but they are enough less than Austin that he has ruled them out.</p>
<p>We are going to Baylor in a couple of weeks. I really like their University Scholars Program, to which NMFs are automatic admits. The kids can design their own degree plan. They only require 2 “capstone” style classes, and the rest is up to the student (and their advisor). He’s not expecting to like the school, based upon hearsay at his HS, but has agreed to go and look.</p>
<p>With his LDs, I think small is a much better fit, but at this point, he’s Phd. bound, so these scholarships are huge in the big picture. No one wants to graduate encumbered by 8-10 years of student loans!</p>
<p>My daughter went to TU and loved it, but she studied Petroleum Engineering, so it was a very natural fit for her. My son did not apply for Presidential Scholar, as it is highly competitive and 1/10 students is a NMF there. But my daughter got a decent scholarship from them and she was not a NMSF.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that TU doesn’t offer a full ride to all NMFs. They give a limited number of Presidential Scholarships–their full-ride-- which requires a separate application/essay. (btw, even non-finalists can qualify to apply for the Presidential Scholarship).
Competiveness varies with how many applications they receive each year, but last year I believe only the top 1/3 received the full scholarship. NMF’s who don’t get the Presidential full ride seem likely to be offered full tuition–leaving room and board to pay–at least that was my son’s experience as an NMF who was not awarded the Presidential scholarship at TU. (He chose to take the automatic near full ride at UTD–another school to check out.)</p>
<p>atomom (and Soonermom95) DS is leaning toward UTD. He has applied for the UT-PACT program…long shot, but would be awesome! He has been awarded the Academic Honors Scholarship there, and remaining cost should be about $4250 per year. I assume from your last comment that he is happy at UTD? My S wants to go to med school. Any opinion about med school chances from UTD if he does not get into UT-PACT? </p>
<p>He has $60,000 scholarship from Baylor; we received their offer recently. Unfortunately, that’s just a drop in the bucket there…the other school he applied to is UT-Tyler, and they give NMSF full tuition, books and fees, so he’d owe room and board there.</p>
<p>Our son is a semifinalist so far. He is considering MIT, Ga Tech, UVA, Drexel, UAB, VCU, Johns Hopkins and Duke. He’s been accepted to the first 6, still waiting to hear RD from JHU and Duke. UAB was an add on due to research after finding out he was a semifinalist. UAB has become significantly more interesting to him since a visit we made last weekend - he was really impressed.</p>
<p>I applied to several top schools, but the one school that made it onto my list because of my National Merit status is Northeastern.</p>
<p>If I get into the honors program and if I am offered full tuition because of my NMF status, that might just be enough to lure me away from other schools. I guess we’ll find out in April. :)</p>
<p>fredsfam: IMO, for pre-med, any college where a student can get high grades and not go into debt is good. MCAT scores and GPA are the biggest factors, not prestige of college. </p>
<p>(fwiw, S lives with 2 other honor students and they all did very well first semester-- some evidence that smart students can get excellent grades at UTD?)</p>
<p>Anyone interested in UTD should visit. They don’t have ivy covered walls, football, or old college traditions. It’s the opposite of a party school. My impression is that most students there are interested in getting their degrees and getting jobs–not so much the social aspects of college life. Plenty of geeks because the focus is on STEM majors. There are a lot of commuters, but the campus is becoming more residential. The dorms are new and the campus is very clean, modern, and in a safe suburban area. All dorms have suites of 3 with single bedrooms/shared bath/living area. Honestly, I can’t say how much my S “likes” UTD. He thinks its a good enough place to get his degree for next to nothing. He’s content with it. I imagine a lot of scholarship students make the best of it because they know their parents aren’t going to pay for another school! I noticed at orientation that there are plenty of activities, clubs, frats, etc. and people seemed welcoming and unpretentious. If you wanted to start something new, you’d be encouraged, not held back–I got the impression that they were very open to new ideas because they aren’t set in “the way things have always been done here. . .” There is a certain energy in the newness, but some people still see UTD as a commuter school in transition and feel they are “settling” when they choose to go there. (otoh, “settling” for a full ride isn’t too painful–there are kids there who turned down ivies for $. Single rooms and nice weather don’t hurt, either.) UTD could be just right for some students, but completely wrong for those who want sports, school spirit, historical atmosphere, etc. You just have to visit and get a feel for it yourself.</p>
<p>I was considering a bunch of LACs and Columbia, but a full NMS scholarship early action lured me away since my family’s financial situation makes the other schools unaffordable.</p>
<p>My S is accepted to U of Michigan, Michigan State, Albion, Alabama, U of Kentucky, Fordham and UChicago. He applied RD to Yale. Alabama, Kentucky and Fordham all got on his radar because of NMSF. Just remember full-ride isn’t always free-ride. In the case of Kentucky, which we like a lot, housing is the basic housing NOT the new honors housing, basic meal plan is 5 meals a week…that would take care of Monday for him. The funny thing is that in our financial situation (if the NPC is correct) Yale is the most affordable school…with nothing for NMF :)</p>
Good luck to him!</p>
The funny thing is that in our financial situation (if the NPC is correct) Yale is the most affordable school…with nothing for NMF :)</p>