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Privacy Policy


National Merit Scholarship Corporation ("NMSC") shares your concerns for maintaining the integrity and privacy of personal information collected on the Internet. NMSC is committed to protecting your privacy, and the following Privacy Policy ("Policy") is intended to explain our information collection and dissemination practices in connection with the www.nationalmerit.org website (the "Site") and the Online Scholarship Renewal Application ("Renewal Application"). Please review the Policy and feel free to contact us at (847) 866-5100 if you have any questions.

Collection of Personal Information from Site Users

While visiting our Site, you may choose to provide personal information to us in the context of completing the Online Scholarship Renewal Application or for other reasons related to scholarship opportunities provided by and through NMSC. This information may include, but is not limited to, your name, date of birth, e-mail address, postal address and telephone number. By providing your personal information online, you consent to allow NMSC to use that information in accordance with this Policy.

Compliance with the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

NMSC is committed to helping participating schools to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Therefore, before a school may release school records information to NMSC, it is required that a parent or legal guardian consent to such release. NMSC has established a procedure at the time a student files a scholarship application whereby a parent or legal guardian must offer consent before a school releases an applicant's school records to NMSC.

Collection of Personal Information from Children

NMSC programs are not directed at individuals under thirteen years of age ("Child") and NMSC will not knowingly collect information from a Child or disclose any information relating to a Child, for any purpose whatsoever.

Security Measures

NMSC has implemented numerous security features to prevent the unauthorized release of or access to personal information, including use of a secure server to encrypt personal information provided to NMSC. If you have any questions about NMSC's data security measures, please contact NMSC directly at (847) 866-5100.

Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Collected

NMSC uses the personal information you provide in order to process your scholarship applications, renewals thereof, to determine whether you satisfy the qualifications for our scholarship programs, and to communicate with you about your scholarship application and/or scholarship. Additionally, NMSC may release any and all information it receives in conjunction with the Renewal Application to corporations, company foundations, colleges and universities, and other entities and individuals, solely for the purpose of endeavoring to provide and providing scholarships to scholarship applicants, maintaining existing scholarships, and in connection with any scholarship renewals. NMSC may also aggregate personal information for research and statistical purposes. NMSC does not use your personal information for marketing or promotional purposes, except to the extent expressly stated in this policy.

NMSC uses third-party vendors to process your online applications. By submitting your application, you authorize NMSC and its third-party vendors to obtain and use your personal information solely for the purpose of endeavoring to provide and providing scholarships to the applicants and any renewals thereof, to verify the information you have provided and to insure the integrity of the NMSC scholarship application and renewal process.

Inquiries and Concerns

The foregoing Policy is effective as of March 2009. NMSC reserves the right to change this Policy at any time by notifying users of the existence and location of the new or revised Policy. We encourage you to refer to this Policy on an ongoing basis so that you understand NMSC's current privacy policy. Your continued use of the Site after notice of a change shall constitute your acceptance of any such changes to this Policy.

If you have any questions regarding this Policy, you may contact us at:

Telephone: (847) 866-5100
Mailing Address: National Merit Scholarship Corporation
1560 Sherman Avenue
Suite 200
Evanston, Illinois 60201-4897