The National Merit Scholarship program began in 1955, helping winners in this academic competition college fund. Semifinalists are the highest-scoring PSAT entrants in each state, and Eldorado High School has five this year.
Those students are Benjamin Holt, Isaac Huber, Ellie Suo-Anttila, AnneMarie Webb and Adam Wheeler.
This year, Eldorado has FIVE National Merit Semifinalists! Congratulations: Benjamin Holt, Isaac Huber, Ellie Suo-Anttila, AnneMarie Webb and Adam Wheeler! Fantastic job, Eagles! 🦅 @EaglesEldorado @AlbuquerquePub1 @EHSTalonAguila pic.twitter.com/H290oWCSd7
— Eldorado Counseling (@EldoCounseling) September 14, 2022
Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements, which include completing an application, having a consistently very high academic record throughout their high school careers, writing an essay, being endorsed and recommended by a school official, and taking the SAT/ACT with continued exemplary scores.
One-time awards provide a single payment that can range from $2,500-$5,000. Renewable awards, which cover up to four years of undergraduate study, provide a fixed stipend that can range from $1,000 to $10,000 per year and is the same for every recipient of the sponsor’s scholarships.
The National Merit Program is highly competitive, and only about half of the 15,000 finalists get selected to be Merit Scholar awardees, according to the nationalmerit.org 2022 student guide.
The NMSC tries to promote a wider respect for learning and shines a spotlight on the most brilliant students encouraging them to pursue their dreams and have means to do so through the individuals, organizations and sponsored schools that help these high-potential students to succeed in school and life.
