<p>I got mine today. My name is completely wrong though. What can I do? Call them? I am afraid my certificate will be under the same name and that would really be a shame.</p>
<p>If you have a good GC, have him/her call. They have access to phone numbers we don't & can actually get things done which we (the public) are told can't be done. I found this out when my son accidentally created two records for himself on-line, one with him last name 1st & the other with his first name 1st. The number on-line (for the public) said there was NO WAY we could combine the records & ever after we'd have to have my son with 2 records. The GC called with my son in the office on the special GC number & was able to straighten everything out so he has ONE record that is correct. Since then, we've had son work with GC any time we have issues with the College Board or NM.</p>
<p>Good luck--the sooner you work with your GC, the better!
Also, congrats!</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for the advice.</p>
<p>I FINALLY got my letter today. I haven't heard anything from my school yet though.</p>
<p>Yay! Me and a friend got our letters sent to our homes (what's all this about guidance counselors?) on Friday. So 2 from our city. This other Semi-Finalist did not get in...:(...but he didn't think he would because of his grades. Still, it's disappointing because only 1,000 are taken out of 16,000 to get to Finalist standing...poor guy.</p>
<p>i got my letter on friday</p>
<p>My D got her letter today (phew) - some are still waiting on letters. The school only found out today as well ( according) to them. Do they get an actual National Merit Finalist certificate? Congratulations to all!!!!
Janie</p>
<p>I'm one. :)</p>
<p>hmm, got the home letter today. so we don't have to do anything to advance to scholar...just wait? awesome.</p>
<p>^^it doesn't matter for you though, because if you're going to Oklahoma any money you get as a scholar just goes to Oklahoma, and you don't benefit from any further award, I know I wont at UF at least who offers a similar award.</p>
<p>I just got my letter today, too.</p>
<p>The certificate came in the mail two days ago - but we are homeschoolers. :-)</p>
<p>Interesting that it arrived after my daughter's letter.</p>
<p>sd</p>
<p>okay gatordan, thanks! so nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>I got my letter last Friday!!</p>
<p>My d was named a finalist, but excuse my ignorance, but what exactly does that do for her? I thought only final final 8500 kids get any money, this crop of 15K just named finalists with all the prestige that implies. Please advise.</p>
<p>A lot depends on the school the NM student matriculates at & whether they award NM scholarships, also whether their employer or their parent's employer awards NM scholarships. NM issues a few scholarships but the rest are doled out by the schools or private corporations. It is a huge honor that your child can list, but in terms of finances, there are some schools that give substantial awards (UFlorida, UTexas, UArkansas & others), while others give none (like ivies or more 'prestigous' schools, generally) or perhaps a one-time $500 award in recognition of merit achievement or some up to $2500/year for 4 years or anywhere up to full out-of-state tuition & room & board for 4 years.
Your d can let the schools she applied to know about her NMF award (NM also releases lists of NMFs).</p>
<p>Don't know where you got the 8500 number from. There are 3 sources of funds: NM scholarships, college scholarships, & corporate scholarships.</p>
<p>As I wrote on another thread:</p>
<p>"They (National Merit) take another look at the info they already have and award 2500 one-time $2500 scholarships. So if you did well enough on the PSAT to be a finalist but realize you maybe aren't the top of the top in ECs, essay, grades in "most rigorous" curriculum, and so forth...look to colleges that give NM money if you want any benefit from this whole process."</p>
<p>Unless a parent works for certain corporations that give NM scholarships, listed on the NM website, I'm pretty sure. (Don't know much about these latter.)</p>
<p>The 8500 number is on the NMF letter to the finalists as the # of NM scholarships, so at least NMC thinks the number is relevant I guess.</p>
<p>HImom--I see, that's what you get if you add up the different kinds of scholarships. I don't see how they can obtain a firm number on the college-sponsored scholarships, however. Many colleges give small or even substantial amounts to NM finalists, apparently without limit. They are always trying to "buy" more scholars for their freshman class. I would bet the final number is far greater than the 4,600 quoted by NMC, though I have no way of finding out.</p>
<p>Two years ago, a friend's son was a NMF & got letters from at least 3 state Us, offering him full OOS tuition & full room & board if he'd go to their school. He was also offered 50% tuition at GW for merit & water polo. He ultimately chose UCSB with NO money at all & loves it there as a sophomore.</p>
<p>I too am not sure how NMC figures out precisely how many scholarships are actually accepted, since it would depend on whether the NMFs choose their dream schools with no money vs. the "free (or subsidized) ride" many times. Maybe over the years, NMC has come up with an "average" & the schools let them know how many NM scholarships they actually award so that's where they came up with their 8500? Don't really know.</p>