Six named National Merit Semifinalists

“These six remarkable students shine within and beyond our classrooms and school,” Dr. Timothy Wagner, Upper St. Clair High School principal, said. “We are excited to see what senior year and the future holds for each of them.”

Founded in 1955, the National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships. More than 1.3 million students entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the PSAT – the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test – last fall during their junior year. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, more than 16,000 students, 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.

According to the program’s website, “The National Merit Scholarship Program honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.”

The Upper St. Clair Semifinalists have the 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 submit a detailed scholarship application that highlights academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the Semifinalists on Sept. 11, 2024. National Merit Finalists will be named in February 2025, followed by the National Merit Scholars in the spring and summer. The program awards three types of National Merit Scholarships – 2,500 National Merit Scholarships of $2,500; approximately 770 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships; and 3,600 college-sponsored Merit Scholarships.

For more information regarding the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit: www.nationalmerit.org.