Last October 1.3 million juniors took the PSAT and Molly is now 1 of only a bit over 16,000 students (which represents less than 1% of the nation’s high school graduating seniors) left that will go on to compete for a National Merit Scholarship! We are proud of Molly and her hard work that led to this prestigious distinction. We have no doubt she will continue to shine throughout the National Merit Competition and hopefully be able to earn one of the National Merit Scholarships and attend the college of her choice! Bravo Molly!!
Semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit® Scholarship Program
Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®)
announced the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit
Scholarship Program.
These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to
continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26
million that will be offered next spring.
To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award,
Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition.
About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately
half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.
NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was
established in 1955 specically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 280 business
organizations, higher education institutions, and individual donors that share NMSC’s goals of
honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.
Over 1.3 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2025 National Merit
Scholarship Program by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying
Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the
highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.
To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and a high school official 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® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.
From over 16,000 Semifinalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist
level, and in February they will be notified of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship
winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the
basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.