National Merit from high school

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yellow-mango

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In Official AMCAS "Work/Activities" Tips, it suggests not to include National Merit status since it happened during high school.
However, I got a full-ride scholarship that is called “National Merit scholarship” in my university for four years, renewed each year after meeting a GPA requirement.
I chose to go to the state university over an expensive private collage, because of the scholarship. And this is only scholarship I have. I did not need to apply other scholarship as it pays almost everything I need for the college education.

Should I not list?

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Well, you could but is it worth 1 of your 15 spaces? The impact it will have is zero.
 
It sounds like they are saying don't include National Merit Society, which is a high school thing, but you have a National Merit Scholarship for undergrad? Are they related? I guess put it down, but as Max said it will probably not have any impact.
 
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The scholarship was awarded for being a National Merit Scholar.
Aren't many of undergraduate scholarships based on your performance during high school?
And your college option is also based on how you did during high school.
I originally had other award, but chose to take this for the amount.
 
In Official AMCAS "Work/Activities" Tips, it suggests not to include National Merit status since it happened during high school.
However, I got a full-ride scholarship that is called “National Merit scholarship” in my university for four years, renewed each year after meeting a GPA requirement.
I chose to go to the state university over an expensive private collage, because of the scholarship. And this is only scholarship I have. I did not need to apply other scholarship as it pays almost everything I need for the college education.

Should I not list?
If a college GPA is required to keep the scholarship from year to year, then feel free to list it, along with an explanation of the requirements. It's fine to group this with other Honors and Awards, BTW, so as to get the maximum benefit from the space.
 
I can't think of too many college scholarships that are based on H.S. performance besides the ones you get coming in. Of course, there are cumulative ones where having research experience in H.S. gives you a leg up…

It really sounds like you are desperate to put this on the app. Just put it on the app if you want…it won't do anything for you.
 
I can't think of too many college scholarships that are based on H.S. performance besides the ones you get coming in. Of course, there are cumulative ones where having research experience in H.S. gives you a leg up…

It really sounds like you are desperate to put this on the app. Just put it on the app if you want…it won't do anything for you.

I once read LizzyM remark about how she cared about the scholarships received as a freshman coming into college. It might just be her but it's worth putting the scholarship on there just in case.

At least for me one of my proudest accomplishments is receiving scholarships so my parents didn't have to pay for undergrad and I didn't have to go into debt, so I would want it on the app.
 
I once read LizzyM remark about how she cared about the scholarships received as a freshman coming into college. It might just be her but it's worth putting the scholarship on there just in case.

At least for me one of my proudest accomplishments is receiving scholarships so my parents didn't have to pay for undergrad and I didn't have to go into debt, so I would want it on the app.
If I recall, her statement was that seeing a 3.9+ / 38+ coming from an unknown school could surprise some people in admissions, and seeing they were there on a big merit scholarship explains it.
 
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If I recall, her statement was that seeing a 3.9+ / 38+ coming from an unknown school could surprise some people in admissions, and seeing they were there on a big merit scholarship explains it.

Yah that's what I meant and since Op said the scholarship influenced where he went to school I thought he might be in a similar position
 
efle's comment makes me think that I should write it, since I have a similar stat with 3.95/521 and am from a lesser-known state university.
 
I once read LizzyM remark about how she cared about the scholarships received as a freshman coming into college. It might just be her but it's worth putting the scholarship on there just in case.

At least for me one of my proudest accomplishments is receiving scholarships so my parents didn't have to pay for undergrad and I didn't have to go into debt, so I would want it on the app.
Hmm interesting perspective. I feel like if OP wrote in the description that he did come to the school over a more prestigious one b/c of the scholarship, it would just seem odd at best. I feel that if OP has nothing else to add, then there's no harm. But if he has something more meaningful, I would think it would have more impact than listing this.
 
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efle's comment makes me think that I should write it, since I have a similar stat with 3.95/521 and am from a lesser-known state university.
I would. Obviously no need to respond about it if you want the anonymity, but if you're coming from U Oklahoma or one of the others that gives a lot or all of finalists full ride offers, you might not surprise anyone since there are hundreds of you every year.

Hmm interesting perspective. I feel like if OP wrote in the description that he did come to the school over a more prestigious one b/c of the scholarship, it would just seem odd at best. I feel that if OP has nothing else to add, then there's no harm. But if he has something more meaningful, I would think it would have more impact than listing this.
I don't think he has to explicitly say "yeah I chose this over [Top 20 Private]" it's just something they can get implicitly if they're wondering.
 
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As Catalystik suggested, I will add this in Other Honors and Awards section. Yes, the scholarship has been renewed automatically with dean's list every semesters. And there are additional requirements such as staying in honors college and taking specific classes.

MaxP, I don't have much to list in "Honor/Award" section.
Thanks, Lucca; I will do the same. I am proud of my choice too, but wanted to know how and where to state this.
It is clear now.
 
Oh well if you have an Honors/Awards section with other awards, then definitely include it. For some reason, I got the impression it was going to be a separate entry lol.
 
Efle, for ~4500 freshman class, less than 5 of this scholarship are awarded, and probably 1 or 2 students per each year attend.
 
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Efle, for ~4500 freshman class, less than 5 of this scholarship are awarded, and probably 1 or 2 students per each year attend.
But isn't the National Merit scholarship for anyone who achieves the cutoff on the PSAT? Thus, how many people at your school receive an offer of this scholarship is only a reflection of how many of these high scorers applied to your school (out of the many nationwide)? It was my understanding that everyone above a cutoff in the PSAT would automatically qualify for the National Merit Scholarship.
 
MaxP, the scholarship is awarded based on a competitive review of all National Merit Scholars in freshman class.
I had to visit for an interview and meet several professors. During the visit, they also described all requrements and responsibilities.
A week after the interview, they called me to inform the scholarship. I don't think it is given automatically to every NMS.
 
MaxP, the scholarship is awarded based on a competitive review of all National Merit Scholars in freshman class.
I had to visit for an interview and meet several professors. During the visit, they also described all requrements and responsibilities.
A week after the interview, they called me to inform the scholarship. I don't think it is given automatically to every NMS.
Ah ok that's quite a good one then, congrats! My school did automatic ones for anyone who was a merit scholar.
 
But isn't the National Merit scholarship for anyone who achieves the cutoff on the PSAT? Thus, how many people at your school receive an offer of this scholarship is only a reflection of how many of these high scorers applied to your school (out of the many nationwide)? It was my understanding that everyone above a cutoff in the PSAT would automatically qualify for the National Merit Scholarship.
It's an odd process. Hitting the high enough PSAT (which is within the top fraction of a percent in some states, top few percent in others) makes you a Semifinalist and allows you to submit a full scholarship application with essay, extracurricular descriptions etc. Once they get everything (90% of people fill it out) you are called a "Finalist" in that you are being considered for the scholarship. Many colleges agree to give the $2,000 per year to you so long as you are a Finalist, regardless of whether you actually win one. Then the actual scholarship recipients are chosen from among the finalists; only about half get the actual award. Then there are some universities that automatically give full rides to anyone who applies as a national merit, and others that choose a few national merit applicants to give a big award to.
 
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However, I got a full-ride scholarship that is called “National Merit scholarship” in my university for four years, renewed each year after meeting a GPA requirement. I chose to go to the state university over an expensive private collage, because of the scholarship. Should I not list?

I also attended my state university to take advantage of a full-ride scholarship based on National Merit. I listed the scholarship in AMCAS, but I made sure to use the space to also describe why this was an important part of my story. Seemed to work fine for me.
 
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