20 Albuquerque Academy and 19 LCHS students named National Merit semifinalists

Names of student semifinalists from 16 other Albuquerque area high schools were also announced by the NMSC on Wednesday. In total, 74 students attending high school in the Albuquerque area were named National Merit Semifinalists, with more than half of those students from Albuquerque Academy and LCHS.

According to the NMSC, about 95% of semifinalists will become finalists and around half of the finalists will receive National Merit Scholarships. The NMSC press release says, “These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring.”

A tweet by Principal Dana Lee says the La Cueva semifinalists scored in the top 1% of all New Mexico juniors on the PSAT. The PSAT/NMSQT, or Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, helps prepare students for the SAT or ACT, which is required by most colleges.

According to the College Board website, juniors who receive high scores on the PSAT/NMSQT may be eligible to receive the National Merit Scholarship and can receive free college advisory services through the National Scholarship Service. High scorers may also be eligible for the Telluride Seminar Scholarships, which provide a six-week summer program in the humanities and social sciences.