Yeah, this is internally self-contradictory. I quote: But homeroom teachers didn’t distribute the awards until Monday, November 14, after the early-application

Yeah, this is internally self-contradictory. I quote: But homeroom teachers didn’t distribute the awards until Monday, November 14, after the early-application deadlines had passed. Teachers dropped the certificates unceremoniously on students’ desks. “Keeping these certificates from students is theft by the state,” says Yashar. ... so they did get distributed, albeit without much ceremony. Also, that's in plenty of time for scholarship applications, so "Recognition by National Merit opens the door to millions of dollars in college scholarships and 800 Special Scholarships from corporate sponsors" is a bit of a non-sequitur.