Three WCPSS Seniors Named National Merit $2,500 Scholars
May 8, 2009 - Three WCPSS seniors were named 2009 National Merit $2,500 Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
The three students include Alexey Vasilyev of Enloe High, Syed Saleh of Green Hope High and Kyle Swartz of Southeast Raleigh High.
Vasilyev has expressed an interest in computer science. Both Saleh and Swartz are interested in medicine. All three received scholarships awarded from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation’s own funds.
The three students were among more than 2,500 distinguished high school seniors to win the National Merit $2,500 Scholarships.
National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential success in rigorous college studies. They were selected by a committee of college admission officers and high school counselors. These Scholars may use their single payment scholarship awards at any regionally accredited US college or university.
National Merit Scholarship Process
More than 1.5 million juniors in over 22,000 high schools entered the 2009 National Merit Scholarship competition when they took the 2007 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. In September 2008, some 16,000 Semifinalists were designated on a state representational basis, in numbers proportional to each state’s percentage of the nation’s high school graduating seniors. Semifinalists were the highest-scoring program entrants in each state and represented less than one percent of a state’s seniors.
To be considered for a National Merit Scholarship, Semifinalists had to fulfill requirements to advance to Finalist standing. In addition to submitting a detailed scholarship application, which included an essay describing activities, interests, and goals, Semifinalists had to have an outstanding academic record; be endorsed and recommended by a school official; and earn SAT scores that confirmed their qualifying test performance. Some 15,000 Semifinalists met Finalist requirements.
By the conclusion of the 2009 competition, about 8,200 Finalists will be selected to receive National Merit Scholarships totaling nearly $36 million. Winners are the Finalist candidates judged to have the strongest combination of academic skills and achievements, extracurricular accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.
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