http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metr...97983.html

Tough to understand the reasoning here. I hope it's not a trend.

Is it to free up financial aid funds toward more needy students, based on the notion that most Merit Scholars are not needy but rather come from middle-class and upper-middle-class households?

As one of the comments pointed out, while UT makes such a big deal of being second only to Harvard in number of National Merit Scholars enrolled, the fact is that UT is one of the largest schools in the country, more than twice the size of Harvard. If one were to rank schools by percentage of National Merit Scholars in their freshman classes, the number one school in the country? A certain university on South Main Street, Houston, Texas. Number two is Harvard.

And according to the sign in the Tulsa airport terminal, the no. 1 public institution in National Merit Scholars per capita enrollment is OU.

I always thought the program was a bit bizarre -- giving scholarships purely based on PSAT results. I always thought of it as a PSAT marketing device that universities had latched onto for some reason.

I'm not familiar with how university funding is awarded by the legislature, but might UT be doing this to cause an uproar to get more money? From the article:
'The university's action underscores “how much further we have to go as a Legislature to help support a pre-eminent university in Texas,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, vice chair of the House Higher Education Committee.'

The $4 million they seek to save in National Merit Scholarships seems small compared to $100 million plus athletic budget.

(09-02-2009 03:07 PM)JOwl Wrote:  I always thought the program was a bit bizarre -- giving scholarships purely based on PSAT results. I always thought of it as a PSAT marketing device that universities had latched onto for some reason.

I'm not familiar with how university funding is awarded by the legislature, but might UT be doing this to cause an uproar to get more money? From the article:
'The university's action underscores “how much further we have to go as a Legislature to help support a pre-eminent university in Texas,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, vice chair of the House Higher Education Committee.'

(09-02-2009 03:07 PM)JOwl Wrote:  I always thought the program was a bit bizarre -- giving scholarships purely based on PSAT results. I always thought of it as a PSAT marketing device that universities had latched onto for some reason.

Wow. I can't believe I hadn't thought about that. At my HS we took the PSAT once, as sophomores. That's not really a great way to determine merit.

I would assume, as Barrett suggested, that they are not cutting total financial aid, just changing the allocation to be more need-based. More generally I wonder how much sense merit-based aid makes for state schools, at least for in-state students. Their tuition is already heavily subsidized.

I was wondering if this was somehow related to the TOP 10% program and the changes it has made in the student body.

(09-01-2009 08:44 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metr...97983.html

Tough to understand the reasoning here. I hope it's not a trend.

Here's a link to the Austin American Statesman article which contains a bit more detail: Merit Scholarships

Check out this quote from Texas Tech:

"For many schools, though, the National Merit Scholarship functions in part as a prestigious device for luring high-achieving students. That's certainly the case at Texas Tech University, which this year sweetened its five-year, $60,000 award by tacking on a five-year, $39,000 allowance for campus housing.

Tech has been enrolling 10 to 12 merit scholars a year. Will the new housing allowance, which elevates the aid package into a full ride, increase the number of takers?

"We sure hope so," said Helen Carter, associate director of scholarships and financial aid."