In September, College Board officially released the list of National Merit Scholarship semifinalists featuring 16,000 qualifying students from across the country, including 38 Lambert High School students making the cut. The National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT), typically taken by 11th graders through the PSAT, features over 1.3 million entrants from across the country competing to be named semifinalists. Each state has its own cutoff score and formula for qualification, with potential semifinalists needing to surpass this to be eligible for the next round.
Once semi-finalists are selected, they will have to complete an additional application that demonstrates their overall academic aptitude, including details regarding their standardized test scores, grades and extracurricular activities. If selected to become a National Merit Finalist in February, students have the opportunity to receive a scholarship from either the National Merit Scholarship Corporation or one of their partners.
Sarah Kim is a senior at Lambert and a National Merit Semi-Finalist.
“Taking the PSAT introduced me to several opportunities throughout high school,” Kim said. “It also set me up for the SAT and helped me take a big step forward in a sometimes daunting and foreign process.”
National Merit Scholarship gives students the opportunity and resources to succeed with more financial flexibility to attend an institution of their choice, as well as recognition for their academic accomplishments.
“I’m beyond grateful to have been named a semifinalist and look forward to the opportunities that come with it,” Kim added.
These deserving students were also commended for their accomplishments at Lambert’s annual National Merit Semifinalist banquet last month. The administration and counseling teams congratulated students on their achievements over a celebratory breakfast and looked ahead to further success in the scholarship competition.
Overall, the National Merit Scholarship program provides students with numerous opportunities for recognition and merit-based aid through their academic accolades. Lambert wishes its semifinalists the very best as they progress to the next round of this prestigious competition.
