5 Beverly Hills High School Students Advance as National Merit Semifinalists

Congratulations are in order to Beverly Hills High School students Robert Sears
Max Stahl, Jessica Lu, Daniel Raban and Samuel Schnapp for advancing into the semi-finals for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Finalists are selected in February 2014.

“We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of these fine students who set an example for others to follow," said BHHS Principal Carter Paysinger.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®)—a test which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year—and by meeting published program entry/participation requirements.

Of the 1.5 million entrants, some 50,000 with the highest PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index scores (critical reading + mathematics + writing skills scores) qualify for recognition in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

In September, these high scorers are notified through their schools that they have qualified as either a commended student or semifinalist. In early September, about 16,000 students, or approximately one-third of the 50,000 high scorers, are notified that they have qualified as semifinalists.

To be considered for a National Merits Scholarship, semifinalists must advance to finalist standing in the competition by meeting high academic standards and all other requirements explained in the information provided to each semifinalist.

In February, some 15,000 Semifinalists are notified by mail at their home addresses that they have advanced to Finalist standing.

Beginning in March and continuing to mid-June, NMSC notifies approximately 8,000 finalists at their home addresses that they have been selected to receive a merit scholarship award. Merit Scholarship awards are of three types: National Merit $2,500 scholarships, corporate-sponsored merit scholarship awards, sollege-sponsored merit scholarship awards.

More information is available at http://www.nationalmerit.org.