Nine ASMSA seniors have been selected as semifinalists in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced Wednesday, Sept. 12, the names of approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 58th annual scholarship competition.
The students selected from Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts are: Clay Davis, Casey Gibson, Andrew Gu, Wilson Guillory, Lauren Jackson, Ryan Mallaby, Erik Monson, Amelia Norvell, Guo Wang.
To qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program, students must take the PSAT at the beginning of their junior year; the semifinalists are then selected based on their PSAT scores.
“We are pleased to commend this remarkable group of ASMSA scholars scoring in the top percent of students nationwide on the PSAT,” said ASMSA Director Corey Alderdice. “Celebrations such as these are also opportunities to recognize the outstanding work of schools and educators in students’ hometowns who have helped to place these young people on the pathway to advancement and success.”
These academically talented students have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,300 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, semifinalists must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the PSAT. The student must also submit a detailed scholarship application that includes information about participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, and honors and awards received. Students will be able to leverage their education and experiences at ASMSA as they complete the application to achieve finalist status.
“These nine remarkable students represent the academic excellence of ASMSA. Our faculty and staff are committed to preparing students for success,” said Dr. Janice Sullivan, ASMSA dean of academic affairs. “Academics here are challenging and the students learn to never give up. They know that their hard work and dedication will bring great progress for themselves, their families, the state and the nation. They are preparing to become distinguished scientists, citizens and leaders of the world.”
The number of semifinalists named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating high school seniors. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and more than half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the National Merit® title.
NMSC is a not-for-profit organization that was established in 1995 to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 440 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the national scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.