Hilton Head Preparatory School senior, Jackson Richard, has been named one of the Semifinalists in the 61st annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Yesterday, officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists who will have the opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,400 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered next spring. Of the 1.5 million junior entrants in more than 22,000 high schools nationwide, the pool of Semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors.
To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and his or her high school must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist's academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student's earlier performance on the qualifying test.
From the approximately 16,000 Semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level and will be notified of this designation in February. National Merit Scholarship winners of 2016 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join more than 315,000 others distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.