Two Dons Named National Merit Finalists
Congratulations to seniors Henry Erdman and Nick Froehlinger on being named 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program Finalists. Out of 1.6 million high school students who took the PSAT last year, 16,000 were named semifinalists in September, of which 15,000 were named finalists this February. Henry and Nick are now qualified to win one of the 7,500 National Merit Scholarships awarded each year.
According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) website, all winners of Merit Scholarship® Awards are chosen from the Finalist group based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments—without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference. A variety of information is available for NMSC selectors to evaluate: the Finalist's academic record, information about the school's curricula and grading system, two sets of test scores, the high school official's written recommendation, information about the student's activities and leadership, and the Finalist's own essay.
Beginning in March and continuing to mid-June, NMSC will be notifying the 7,500 winners. The three types of Merit Scholarship Awards are listed below:
Beginning in March and continuing to mid-June, NMSC will be notifying the 7,500 winners. The three types of Merit Scholarship Awards are listed below:
National Merit® $2500 Scholarships
Every Finalist competes for these single payment scholarships, which are awarded on a state-representational basis. Winners are selected without consideration of family financial circumstances, college choice, or major and career plans.
Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarship Awards
Corporate sponsors designate their awards for children of their employees or members, for residents of a community where a company has operations, or for Finalists with career plans the sponsor wishes to encourage. These scholarships may either be renewable for four years of undergraduate study or one-time awards.
College-Sponsored Merit Scholarship Awards
Officials of each sponsor college select winners of their awards from Finalists who have been accepted for admission and have informed NMSC by the published deadlines that the sponsor college or university is their first choice. These awards are renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study.
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)—which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.6 million entrants each year—and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements.
