# What's the big deal about National Merit Scholarships? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 24, 2015, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704 "2015-08-24T08:38:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jacobsta811](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jacobsta811/32/2893_2.png) [@jacobsta811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacobsta811)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/21 "2015-08-24T14:32:27Z")
93.75% chance that he becomes a National Merit Finalist 15.625% chance he is awarded the $2500 scholarship. 100% chance of getting a much larger scholarship than that if he is named a National Merit Finalist and chooses the right school from the list that give free rides (some are accept all merit finalist comers and are guaranteed, others have some level of competition for the biggest ones). ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/22 "2015-08-24T14:36:50Z")
Sorry for all the posts, but I just noticed **CalMeacham** reports that there was more scholarship money available for MIT as a result of being a National Merit Scholar, so perhaps I shouldn’t be too hasty in my dismissal. We didn’t see MIT on the list, but as suggested, perhaps we need to dig a little deeper. This is all new stuff for us. (And I’ll sure be glad when it’s over.) [QUOTE=Dewey Finn] Might I suggest that your son consider the fine engineering school located in Troy, NY as a backup? [/QUOTE] Why yes, you might. 🙂 He might very well take that suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/23 "2015-08-24T14:41:52Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Only one of the schools my son is interested in has a college-sponsored award. And again - please, I don’t think any snark about “which you deem insignificant” is justified. (Not that you were being snarky, but it could be read that way.) The smart thing to do in any situation is to look at the investment of resources needed and the probable outcomes before deciding on a course of action. Would you spend $50 to have a 60% chance of winning a million dollars? Hell yes. Would you spend $500 to have a 1 in three million chance of winning $5000? Probably not. I am merely attempting to ascertain where, between these two extremes, the NMS application process lies. Apologies. It is just that based on the last sentence on the OP you’re already judging that this is a waste of time (for whatever reason) to prop up some program. But what many of us are saying is that it is not as useless as you think it is, at least based on your OP. It allowed many of us to attend a decent college with little or no cost. Even in these years, some universities offer college awards, which is worth more than the $2500 you describe as peanuts. Based on what you write, it seems like there is nothing that is outrageous, other than having to fill out more paperwork. Now, I hate paperwork, but it is not taking insanely amount out of my life that I couldn’t do it. Why do it, if not for the money? **Ivory** , **jacob** , and I mentioned non-monetary things. It can be used as an admission factor, even with all the other material present. Prestige, proof of academic achievement, honor, all those are things that can help separate someone in a resume/college application. It can also mean entrance to special university programs (honors), where the student can receive more challenging courses or more interesting courses, first choice at registration, and even have first choice in getting undergraduate research experience, if he wishes. As well, as per **jacob** mentioned, the hardest part was done, and it seems that going from semifinalist to finalist is not a crapshoot but more certain than going from nothing to semifinalist. So, taking the monetary aspect away, from what you say, the process doesn’t seem more taxing than another application form to fill out. Tedious, but not incredibly time consuming, for a decent chance at making as a finalist. And if you get it, then you can put it in the resume and in the college applications. If accepted at college, he may be immediately be put in the honors program, and that would include some academic advantages that will follow him through undergrad and maybe beyond. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/24 "2015-08-24T15:00:38Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > Anyways, I only knew I was a Scholar when I got the brochures from all the universities that offered scholarships to those in the program, and many of them pointed out “Hey, you’re a NHMS and you qualify for our “honors program” and blablablabla” Edit: No, I remember now that I was mentioned as a scholar in some school award events, but nothing surprising. It wasn’t until a year or two later, when I finally applied for colleges, that I got the importance. Oh, hey, money! I had the same experience. I got some National Merit Scholar money, and got some other money from my school because of it. And I qualified for the honors program and to be in the honors dorm because I was a National Merit Scholar. Also, while he’s in college, it could help him to have it on his CV. He might be competing for internships or other things where any extra thing could help make him look better, and showing National Merit Scholar is definitely a good thing to have. > [@jacobsta811](#): > > [National Merit Scholarship Program - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Merit_Scholarship_Program) > > I think what you are saying is that he is a Semifinalist and has to fill out the application to become a finalist. I am not sure why you think this is a crap shoot - 15,000 out of 16,000 become finalists, and that is really the only part they control. The big money once you are finalist is going to one of the schools that give Merit Scholars a completely free ride - and _you_ are in control of that - you talk directly to the school, and designate them your first choice. At least when I went to school, you needn’t be designated to receive a scholarship directly from NMSC to get the school scholarships, just be a finalist. > If you pick the right school, you can receive full tuition, room and board paid. > So I guess the question for you and him is whether he’d like to attend his first choice school or have a brand new car and a large down payment for a house instead. > > [http://thecollegematchmaker.com/52-colleges-offering-full-tuition-scholarships-national-merit-finalists/](http://thecollegematchmaker.com/52-colleges-offering-full-tuition-scholarships-national-merit-finalists/) > [https://www.applerouth.com/blog/2010/08/06/schools-offer-free-ride-to-students-based-on-psat-scores/](https://www.applerouth.com/blog/2010/08/06/schools-offer-free-ride-to-students-based-on-psat-scores/) > [@jacobsta811](#): > > 93.75% chance that he becomes a National Merit Finalist > 15.625% chance he is awarded the $2500 scholarship. > > 100% chance of getting a much larger scholarship than that if he is named a National Merit Finalist and chooses the right school from the list that give free rides (some are accept all merit finalist comers and are guaranteed, others have some level of competition for the biggest ones). I wanted to make sure you saw these posts from **jacobsta811** , and they say the same things from what I remember when I was in high school, that most Semi-Finalists become Finalists. I don’t know why you don’t think he has a good chance of making it. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/25 "2015-08-24T15:07:50Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > Apologies. It is just that based on the last sentence on the OP you’re already judging that this is a waste of time (for whatever reason) to prop up some program. > > But what many of us are saying is that it is not as useless as you think it is, at least based on your OP. It allowed many of us to attend a decent college with little or no cost. Even in these years, some universities offer college awards, which is worth more than the $2500 you describe as peanuts. > > Based on what you write, it seems like there is nothing that is outrageous, other than having to fill out more paperwork. Now, I hate paperwork, but it is not taking insanely amount out of my life that I couldn’t do it. > > Why do it, if not for the money? **Ivory** , **jacob** , and I mentioned non-monetary things. It can be used as an admission factor, even with all the other material present. Prestige, proof of academic achievement, honor, all those are things that can help separate someone in a resume/college application. It can also mean entrance to special university programs (honors), where the student can receive more challenging courses or more interesting courses, first choice at registration, and even have first choice in getting undergraduate research experience, if he wishes. > > As well, as per **jacob** mentioned, the hardest part was done, and it seems that going from semifinalist to finalist is not a crapshoot but more certain than going from nothing to semifinalist. > > So, taking the monetary aspect away, from what you say, the process doesn’t seem more taxing than another application form to fill out. Tedious, but not incredibly time consuming, for a decent chance at making as a finalist. And if you get it, then you can put it in the resume and in the college applications. If accepted at college, he may be immediately be put in the honors program, and that would include some academic advantages that will follow him through undergrad and maybe beyond. Okay, sure … I’m interested in hearing those arguments. You make a decent case for the NMS process. I may be writing as if my mind is made up, but actually it isn’t, and I am hoping to provoke discussion of the sort you offer. Thank you. I do still have a sneaking suspicion that this is an example of one award snowballing into another, however. Let’s set the money issue aside for a moment. As an illustration, I remember when I was in high school - I was a pretty good student, but certainly not straight-A. In the spring of my junior year, I won a statewide championship that brought honor to the school. My school then gave me the Harvard Book Award, evidently in acknowledgement of the recognition my performance brought to them (it was a private school, so these things mattered). Lo and behold, in the fall of my senior year, I got yet another honor (an invitation to National Honor Society, or some such thing - it’s been so long I don’t remember all the details, just that all of the sudden I seemed to be getting the kind of recognition that had previously eluded me, despite the fact that nothing about me had changed). Anyway, by the time I had to apply for college I had quite a nice little line-up of honors to put on my application. And yet, all I had really done was to win that one championship, which led to the next honor, which led to the next honor … I kind of feel like these National Merit Scholarships are the same thing. Now, if it really IS primarily about the money as opposed to some unique concept of merit that only the NMS program can divine, it makes sense: financing the education of kids with proven academic merit and a high level of achievement is most likely a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/26 "2015-08-24T15:13:37Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Thanks - that is the kind of info I’m looking for (and based on your user name, I’m guessing you are in a good position to comment). > > I _do_ realize how competitive it is, however, and that’s why I think it makes sense to question the process, rather than to just run blindly salivating after an extra pat on the head for being smart. If he has an extremely remote chance of advancing through the process, and the process does take time and effort away from other activities, then common sense dictates asking: is the reward really great enough to justify the effort? From your answer, perhaps it is. Though I still wonder what colleges can figure out based on winning the NMS competition that they can’t figure out from everything else applicants submit. It reinforces the message- the GPA, NMS, NHS, an honors or IB diploma, SAT scores etc etc paint a well-rounded picture of the student. Top schools see thousands of applications from talented students. Their challenge is how to distinguish between one student and a another. Unique hobbies, dedication to a sport, instrument or activity, additional honors, interesting personal statement all give the admissions folks reason to look at your child twice over someone else. My daughter is Jr in high school this year, so we’re in the thick of it ourselves, and as you surmised, I’m a university faculty member so I’m not unfamiliar with the topic. In my experience NMS is in a category of it’s own of the typical high school honors. Sure, winning the Intel Science Fair is probably a bigger one, but there aren’t a whole of other ones that all typical high school students are eligible for (everyone who takes the PSATs) that has more prestige or cache. Maybe he can write his personal statement about the high school machine that talented students have to churn through to get through college and the impact on his life? 🙂 And a strong second shout out for RPI, if he’s thinking about engineering! ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/27 "2015-08-24T15:19:48Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Okay, sure … I’m interested in hearing those arguments. You make a decent case for the NMS process. I may be writing as if my mind is made up, but actually it isn’t, and I am hoping to provoke discussion of the sort you offer. Thank you. > > I do still have a sneaking suspicion that this is an example of one award snowballing into another, however. Let’s set the money issue aside for a moment. As an illustration, I remember when I was in high school - I was a pretty good student, but certainly not straight-A. In the spring of my junior year, I won a statewide championship that brought honor to the school. My school then gave me the Harvard Book Award, evidently in acknowledgement of the recognition my performance brought to them (it was a private school, so these things mattered). Lo and behold, in the fall of my senior year, I got yet another honor (an invitation to National Honor Society, or some such thing - it’s been so long I don’t remember all the details, just that all of the sudden I seemed to be getting the kind of recognition that had previously eluded me, despite the fact that nothing about me had changed). > > Anyway, by the time I had to apply for college I had quite a nice little line-up of honors to put on my application. And yet, all I had really done was to win that one championship, which led to the next honor, which led to the next honor … > > I kind of feel like these National Merit Scholarships are the same thing. Now, if it really IS primarily about the money as opposed to some unique concept of merit that only the NMS program can divine, it makes sense: financing the education of kids with proven academic merit and a high level of achievement is most likely a good thing. I can see it that way. I did get a “Who’s who…” award, which may have in fact come from the PSAT score that got me the NHMS award. 😉 It was a simple thing I added to my resume for undergrad and then didn’t use anymore. But like **IvoryTowerDenizen** mentioned, it is \*something \*to distinguish from others. The “who’s who”, if you were going to ask, I’d say “ignore”, but not the NMS. Because that one did help me out a lot. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/28 "2015-08-24T15:54:44Z")
I was a NMS as was one of my sons. I had a 1/2 scholarship for athletics, so the NMS award money accounted for the other 1/2 of my tuition and allowed me to attend college debt free. More importantly, it put me automatically into the honors program, which afforded me smaller class sizes and more one-on-one time with instructors. My son had a full ride athletic scholarship so didn’t really need the award money, but he, too, got automatic placement into the honors program. If your son is capable enough to be accepted at MIT, honors program placement is probably a a foregone conclusion, but as the award is known to be competitive, not just an honorarium, it is well worth your time to pursue just for the prestige it affords. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/29 "2015-08-24T16:01:24Z")
I received a National Achievement scholarship (similar program, except for the negroes). Every quarter I’d get a check for $667. Since I had a full scholarship, this money went towards books and living expenses. That was money I didn’t have to get flipping burgers or begging from parents. And I got it all four years! For once, I was able to make my twin sister jealous. I don’t care how long the application process it. Your son needs to sit his little behind down and fill out the paperwork. Few scholarships are guaranteed. If your son loses one of his other awards (or they get reduced), at least he can count on the National Merit one. And if he decides to transfer to another school, it will go with him (I think). ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/30 "2015-08-24T16:23:27Z")
I was a semi-finalist back in the day (not a finalist, curse my mediocre math scores!), but that was enough to earn me a $1000/year scholarship from my state school, back in the 70’s when that was enough to just about cover tuition for a semester. So I’ve always figured that I made $4000 for taking a 2 1/2 hour test, which means that, if you consider hourly rates, I reached my peak earning year at the tender age of 16 and it’s been all downhill since then. As for whatever glory attaches to being a finalist or semi-finalist, I dunno. It’s something you can put on a grad school application and doesn’t look terrible on a resume. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/31 "2015-08-24T16:35:44Z")
I was a National Merit Scholar back in the late 80s and didn’t realize at the time that it was much of a big deal, but my guidance counselor sure was excited. I remember he even leaned forward and said to me “I don’t think you realize what a Big Deal this is.” Come to think of it I did get my picture in the paper with a girl from a nearby school who also won. In my recollection the scholarship at the time was only $1500 but I could be wrong. I remember the school simply reduced my financial aid by the amount of the scholarship, so it was a wash in terms of what we had to pay which is why I might not remember the exact amount. I don’t think I ever put it on my resume when I started working. After 30 years do you think it’s too late? ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/32 "2015-08-24T16:44:01Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > To posters like **DrumBum** - please be aware that your experience in the mid-1980s, that is to say 30 years ago, does not necessarily reflect how things are today. Decisions are now based on transcripts and applications (which to the best of my knowledge include essays and reporting of extra-curriculars and supplementary achievements). Although they haven’t updated the information yet (the dates all refer to last year as I write this), [here are the current requirements.](http://www.nationalmerit.org/Merit_R&I_Leaflet.pdf) Maybe I’m missing something (happens a lot), but I don’t see anything that you need to do in particular to become a finalist. The onus appears to be on the high school to send in the transcripts, and that is about it. Possibly more work if you pass the (low) bar to become a finalist and get a school sponsored scholarship instead of the $2500 from NMSC folks, but you can cross that bridge once you see if you qualify (and if the kid’s university choices have programs for scholars). ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/33 "2015-08-24T19:12:27Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > I do still have a sneaking suspicion that this is an example of one award snowballing into another, however. Let’s set the money issue aside for a moment. As an illustration, I remember when I was in high school - I was a pretty good student, but certainly not straight-A. In the spring of my junior year, I won a statewide championship that brought honor to the school. My school then gave me the Harvard Book Award, evidently in acknowledgement of the recognition my performance brought to them (it was a private school, so these things mattered). Lo and behold, in the fall of my senior year, I got yet another honor (an invitation to National Honor Society, or some such thing - it’s been so long I don’t remember all the details, just that all of the sudden I seemed to be getting the kind of recognition that had previously eluded me, despite the fact that nothing about me had changed). > > Anyway, by the time I had to apply for college I had quite a nice little line-up of honors to put on my application. And yet, all I had really done was to win that one championship, which led to the next honor, which led to the next honor … > > I kind of feel like these National Merit Scholarships are the same thing. Now, if it really IS primarily about the money as opposed to some unique concept of merit that only the NMS program can divine, it makes sense: financing the education of kids with proven academic merit and a high level of achievement is most likely a good thing. Maybe it is a snowballing thing, and lots of students have 10 things on their resumes that basically mean they did 1 thing. But that’s how it will be for pretty much all high-achieving students. If your son is competing with those students for internships or more scholarships or whatever, he’ll stand out in a bad way if he just has the 1 thing while they have the 10 things. It sucks and is unfair that you have to work the system, and ideally the whole education system should be overhauled, but as it is now, if you know about the system, you should work it as best as you can. And if he can just do a little bit to get all the paperwork or whatever done to be a National Merit Scholar, he should. At this point it will likely be a little work for a lot of reward. ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/34 "2015-08-24T19:29:25Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Last year when my son took the PSATs, his combined score was 231 and **his school told him he’d be applying for a National Merit Scholarship**. > > This weekend, he got an email from the counseling office saying “we have good news for you, but we want to tell you in person.” So, he went to the counseling office during his first free period, and was told, “ **hey, you qualify to apply for a National Merit Scholarship!** ” > > This is mildly annoying on the part of the counseling office (what, **this news is so special they couldn’t just tell him in an e-mail** , especially when they told him last year that this would be the case?), but anyway … why exactly should he care? > > My first though is that the chances of him advancing very far in the process seem quite slim. Naturally as him mom I love him to death and think **he’s the best kid ever** , but I am not blind to the fact that he’s not overly well-rounded (no athletic endeavors whatsoever, and he stopped viola lessons after 10th grade; basically his life is all about science and math except for philosophy club and animal rights) and while\*\* he essentially did get straight A’s\*\* as a junior, his freshman and sophomore years his grades were very good but not super-duper spectacular (one-third B’s, two-thirds As). It seems that the NMS program wants well-rounded kids who had the highest possible grades from the moment they set foot in high school. > > For another, it’s just another application to worry about when he is deep in the middle of trying to get high grades in a **very challenging courseload (mixed IB high and AP courses**) at the same time he does college applications and interviews. Good grief, the kid already had to spend his weekend doing practice interviews, since **his MIT interview is two days from now**. He’s going early action at\*\* Cal-Tech and MIT\*\*, and applying to the UC system, so he’s got college application deadlines hitting him like crazy this fall. > > My final concern is what true value (other than being able to brag) advancing through the selection process would have. **We are fortunate enough not to need the money** , and the scholarships seem pretty minimal anyway. Don’t get me wrong, **I know that $2500 is a lot of money for some families** struggling to finance college tuition (though one hopes those families will be eligible for need-based scholarships). But c’mon … $2500 is peanuts next to the cost of 4 years at any of the institutions CairoSon is applying to. The “honor” of being a finalist, should he somehow make it that far, will not come until February 2016 or so. By then, he will have long since finished all his college applications. It’s hard for me to believe that any colleges he is applying to will care much, given that it would simply reinforce what they will already know about my son. (With transcripts, recommendations, SAT and SAT subject scores, personal essays, and a record of extra-curricular and summer activities at their disposal, what exactly NEW would schools expect to learn from the fact he was a NMS finalist?) > > Anyway … my question for you all in the Doper community is: exactly why should my kid be thrilled that he gets to apply for something that he doesn’t have much of a shot at winning, which will take away from h **is time for other vital pursuits** , and which won’t offer much of value if by some miracle he does win? > > Perhaps someone can explain why this is the best thing ever, but to me it feels like some kind of inertia-driven attempt (I know these scholarships have been around for centuries) to prop up the validity of ETS. Wow, 11 stealth-brags by my count. That may be a new record here. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/35 "2015-08-24T20:32:13Z")
Something else to consider: if he doesn’t have it on his application, most likely they’ll assume he didn’t qualify, not that he didn’t pursue the award. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/36 "2015-08-24T20:35:31Z")
There are plenty of schools that give full rides to National Merit Finalists. They aren’t necessarily top schools, but in this age of astronomical college costs it’s nothing to sneeze at. Anyone who is named a Semifinalist and has decent grades (no D’s, no more than 1 C, from what I hear) is almost certain to advance. You also have to score high enough on the SAT to show it wasn’t a fluke. My son is this year’s poster child for Semifinalists who don’t advance (he’s pretty much a lock to be a Semifinalist with his PSAT score). He made D’s in English sophomore and junior years, which is a definite no-no. Since he isn’t interested in top schools, he’ll still have options. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/37 "2015-08-24T20:36:20Z")
I was a semi-finalist 45 years ago. I don’t remember if I was a finalist or not, but I do know I didn’t get any money. But it probably did help me get into MIT, and it was considered a big thing. There were only four of us in a graduating class of near 1600. There was definitely an application back then, the most depressing thing I’ve ever filled out. No I haven’t written any symphonies, no I don’t have any patents. Sheesh. I don’t know if it still that big a deal today, but it can’t hurt, and it certainly could be a tie-breaker. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/38 "2015-08-24T20:45:12Z")
Wow, you can get $2500? I only got $250 per semester, grand total of $2000. (Granted, this was 30 years ago, and at a state cow college.) But, it was usually enough to pay for textbooks. As near as I can tell, the main benefit is prestige. “National Merit Scholar” looks good on a resume, and it looks good on applications for other forms of financial aid. When I was registering for school, there were four of us, and we got to have lunch with the university president. If you think it is chump change, skip it. But I figured, every little bit, helps. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/39 "2015-08-24T21:52:04Z")
My dughter won one in 1983. There was no application process then, you were just awarded it. But the main effect was the college she went too simply reduced her financial aid award by the amount of the scholarship (which I think was only $1000). So the honor was nice, but the college was the beneficiary. She still had to work in the kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704/40 "2015-08-24T22:29:28Z")
Another thing to check is if you or your spouse works for a company or organization that awards scholarships; they’re often based on National Merit Scholarship levels. Some may be quite significant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-big-deal-about-national-merit-scholarships/728704.md?page=3)