Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
EVANSTON, Ill. – Officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of more than 16,000 semifinalists in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Local students were Dolan Berkeypile, Triton High School; Ian Parrott and Preston Park, Warsaw Community High School; and Noah N. Higham, Lakeland Christian Academy.
These high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,930 National Merit scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered in the spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition, according to a news release from NMSC.
About 95% of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.
The National Merit Scholarship Program honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The program does not measure the quality or effectiveness of education within a school, system or state.
For more information about the competition, visit www.nationalmerit.org.
From over 16,000 semifinalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level, and in February they will be notified of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of finalists. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin or religious preference.
Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring. Every finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational basis. About 830 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 150 corporations and business organizations for finalists who meet their specified criteria, such as children of the grantor’s employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located. In addition, about 150 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 3,600 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.
