Does being a Merit Scholar have monetary value?
Two hundred and twenty-eight high school seniors from Kentucky were selected as National Merit Scholarship
Semifinalists.
What does this mean in actual dollars for the student? While becoming a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist is one
of the most prestigious honors that a high school senior can attain, often the student receives little or even no dollars
for his or her accomplishments.
Approximately 1.5 million high school juniors across the country take the PSAT/NMSQT test in the fall. Out of this
group, the highest 50,000 scoring students are selected. Approximately 34,000 of these 50,000 will then be selected
as “commended students,” which means they can add this to their resume but there is no money attached to this
honor.
The remaining 16,000 students are the ones selected as National Merit Semifinalists. Semifinalists are designated on
a state representational basis. These 16,000 students are then able to apply to become “finalists.” Approximately
8,000 finalists will be chosen based on other academic accomplishments and may then be eligible to receive one of
three types of scholarships:
NATIONAL MERIT $2,500 SCHOLARSHIPS
Every finalist competes for these single payment scholarships, which are awarded on a state representational basis.
This $2,500 is a relatively token dollar amount considering the high cost of college tuition.
CORPORATE-SPONSORED AWARDS
Corporate sponsors designate their awards for children of their employees or members, for residents of a
community where a company has operations or for finalists with career plans the sponsor wishes to encourage. These
scholarships may either be renewable for four years of undergraduate study or one-time awards. These awards vary
considerably in amount depending on the corporate sponsor.
AWARDS FROM THE STUDENT’S COLLEGE
Officials of each sponsor college select winners of their awards from finalists who have been accepted for
admission and have informed NMSC by the published deadlines that the sponsor college or university is their first
choice.
One of the major issues here is not all colleges participate in the National Merit program. Highly competitive schools
such as the Ivy Leagues do not participate, awarding students only financial aid, not merit scholarships.
However, some lesser colleges and universities are eager to attract National Merit Scholars and therefore offer
finalists additional scholarships, sometimes as much as full tuition. Most of the major colleges and universities in
Kentucky will offer full tuition scholarships to National Merit Finalists.
Becoming a National Merit Scholar is a great honor for high school seniors, but the amount of money that one
actually receives will vary considerably, depending on where the student plans to attend college.
It could mean that the student receives no money, a token $2,500 or full tuition. However, the students who are
usually chosen as finalists are also the students who succeed academically and therefore have many other options for
scholarships.
Ellen Shapira is a college and educational consultant for Jewish Family & Career Services. She can be reached at
502 452 6341 or eshapira@jfcslouisville.org.
Article prepared by:
Ellen Shapira
THE VOICE-TRIBUNE
College Corner
College and Educational Consultant
Jewish Family and Career Services (JFCS)
Louisville, Kentucky
(502) 452-6341 ext. 225
eshapira@jfcslouisville.org
Thursday, October 2, 2008 – Page A-8