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Six local students are among the more than 16,000 semifinalists in the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
They are Taitt McCarthy of Athens High School, Kaden B. Jeffers of Ripley High School, Henry W. Corcoran and Christian K. Henrichsen of Parkersburg High School and Chloe T. Lester and Jesse D. Morris of Parkersburg South High School.
They will be in competition for 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth about $24 million that will be offered next spring.
To be considered for a Merit Scholarship, semifinalists must fulfill requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 95% of the semifinalists are expected to become finalists and about half will win a scholarship and earn the Merit Scholar title.
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 will be notified in February. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from the finalists. Merit Scholars 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.
Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring.
Every finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit Scholarships of $2,500 that will be awarded on a state-representational basis. About 700 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by about 120 corporations and business organizations for finalists who meet their specified criteria, such as children of the grantor's employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located.
About 140 colleges and universities are expected to finance 3,500 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.
National Merit Scholarship winners of 2027 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July.