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is it true that u automatically get a half scholarship if u r named a finalist?

By Scion (Scion) on Monday, February 02, 2004 - 11:11 pm: Edit

someones gotta know...

By Thedad (Thedad) on Tuesday, February 03, 2004 - 03:30 am: Edit

I believe my D received such an offer as an encouragement to apply...no official word yet, so she's only Semi-Finalist. She has no interest in USC, no matter what the price, so she passed.

By Clo18224 (Clo18224) on Tuesday, February 03, 2004 - 03:25 pm: Edit

I just received an invitation from USC to to to LA to interview for a Presidential (half scholarship). However, I'm a National Merit Scholar (should be a Finalist). I have heard that Finalists receive half-scholarships automatically. Should I still interview for the Presidential scholarship or are they totally seperate scholarships?

By Cheetah (Cheetah) on Thursday, February 05, 2004 - 12:41 am: Edit

Clo - I am in the same boat and I'm dying to know. Two half scholarships make a full...

Please post if you know anything!!!!!!!

By Tro348a (Tro348a) on Friday, February 06, 2004 - 05:32 pm: Edit

Two half scholarships DO NOT equal a full. You either get one or the other. It really only benefits those who don't get the Trustees or Presidential. (Although, the NMSC scholarship can tack on an extra 2500)

By Lynn (Lynn) on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 04:00 pm: Edit

My daughter is a sophomore at USC. She is a National Merit Scholar and automatically received a 1/2 tuition Presidential Scholarship which is renewable annually as long as the GPA is kept up above a certain level. Even though the scholarship was automatic, she did have to go through the scholarship interview process. I think some of the National Merit Scholars are bumped up to a Trustee Scholarship (full tuition), which may be one of the reasons they interview.

I do believe that a student who is Nat'l. Merit could skip the interviews and still get the Pres Scholarship from USC if accepted. Don't know for sure, but you could ask.

By Confusedmom (Confusedmom) on Monday, February 09, 2004 - 10:30 pm: Edit

The NM materials state that if a student lists a school as number one choice, is offered a college sponsored scholarship and then changes his/her mindabout first choice school, that he/she is no longer elegible for a NM scholarship. Becasue of this, NM organization advises that a student who is not certain keep an "undecided" status well into May.

How does this play out with USC? My child has applied there but it is not his first choice (but not his last, either)--although it offers the most NM money of the schools he has applied to. USC states that it will consider the student for NM presidential scholarship (half tuition) if the student lists USC as his/her first choice and will notify the student of the NM grant by April 1. We hadn't planned to list any choice until after April 1, since it is unlikely my son will have heard from all his schools by then. It seems that USC is forcing him to declare USC as his first choice now (or at least before April1) in order to get the scholarship--but if he does so, he probably is effectively cutting himself off from grants from other schools. Guess we will have to call NM and USC on this one, but does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

ALso, is the USC NM scholarship truly automatic--do ALL NM finalists who list USC as their number one choice within the required timeframe get the scholarship?

Thanks for any help.

By Lynn (Lynn) on Monday, February 16, 2004 - 04:57 pm: Edit

Yes, all NM students who list USC as their first choice are automatically given Presidential Scholarships. For my daughter, USC was her first and only choice after visiting numerous universities. Naturally, she listed it first. I know you have a certain amount of time to make USC your first choice after finding out you are a NM Scholar, but since that wasn't our case I don't remember what it is. It sounds like your student has a decision to make, perhaps without the benefit of knowing which other colleges have accepted him.

By Nmfmom (Nmfmom) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:44 am: Edit

I was not even waitlisted, SAT1530 Math 760, Verbal 770, SAT2 C1730, C2749, Writing 760, National Merit Finalist, National Honor Society, 2nd Team All state track, 1st team All Catholic track, chess club, various volunteer activities, play in a garage band, guitar, AP scholar, takinf 5 PA courses at present, and went to campus for a visit. I guess it was harder to get into than I expected.