Mountain Ridge High School is proud to announce that seniors Anabel Disher and Logan Patterson have been named Semifinalists in the 72nd annual National Merit® Scholarship Program.
These academically talented seniors have earned the opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $24 million that will be offered in the spring.
Demonstrating Academic Excellence Nationwide
Last year, over 1.2 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.
Requirements to Advance to Finalist Standing
To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition.
Anabel and Logan are currently completing detailed scholarship applications showcasing:
-
Academic Performance: An outstanding academic record throughout high school.
-
Leadership and Activities: Active participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, and honors or awards received.
-
Faculty Endorsement: Formal endorsement and recommendation by a high school official.
-
Personal Essay & Qualifying Test: A personal essay and SAT® or ACT® scores confirming qualifying test performance.
About 95 percent of Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.
Celebrating Sentinel Scholars
The National Merit Scholarship Program honors individual students who demonstrate extraordinary academic talent and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Mountain Ridge High School congratulates Anabel Disher and Logan Patterson on this prestigious national achievement and wishes them success as they complete the final stages of the competition!