Four students at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts have been named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists.
The National Merit Scholarship Corp. announced the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program on Sept. 11. The students, all members of the Class of 2025, will have an opportunity to continue in the competition for 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring.
The ASMSA seniors named Semifinalists are:
- Eva Cummings of Fayetteville;
- Evan Fowlkes of Mountain View;
- Madeline Liachenko of Benton; and
- Kalyn You of Everton.
To be considered for the National Merit Scholarship Program, students take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test as a junior. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of anticipated graduating seniors.
Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist standing, including a detailed scholarship application that includes information about a Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received.
Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The National Merit Scholarship Corp. is a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance. It was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced in batches beginning in late Spring 2025 and early summer 2025.