Recently, three Manheim Township students were chosen as National Merit Scholarship semifinalists. The semifinalists are seniors Ellie Ngo, William Wang and Cameron Zuschmidt.
The National Merit Society awards a total of 7,580 scholarships to graduating seniors who received at least a 219 on the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) the previous year. Out of the 1.3 million high school students who take the PSAT each year, only 16,000 are selected as semifinalists. These students are chosen from the top 50,000 highest scorers as being among the top scorers in their state of residence. Once the semifinalists are determined, a list is sent to all four-year colleges and universities in the United States in order to increase their chances for additional educational opportunities.
In order to be considered for a spot as a finalist, Ngo, Wang and Zuschmidt will need to complete an official application through the National Merit Society as well as provide information about employment history, community service and academic participation. They must also have SAT or ACT scores that match their performance on the qualifying test, be recommended by a school official and write an essay. From there, about 15,000 students will be selected as finalists.
There are three scholarships available to the selected finalists, each with a different monetary value. The National Merit Scholarship is worth $2,500, and is open to any finalist. Another option are the Corporate Sponsored Merit Scholarships, available mostly to the children of employees at any of the 130 businesses that donate to the National Merit Society. The value of these scholarships vary depending on the sponsor. Finally, the majority of the finalists will receive the College Sponsored Merit Scholarship. These are given to students who plan to attend one of the 150 colleges or universities that sponsor the National Merit Society. They will be awarded with $500 to $2000 per year, varying between colleges.
This is clearly a very extensive process, and the semifinalists have worked consistently throughout their high school career, going above and beyond in order to receive recognition for their many achievements and contributions to the community. Keep an eye out for Zuschmidt, Ngo and Wang in the halls, and be sure to congratulate them on their major success.
