Atlanta International, Westminster Graduates Receive National Merit Scholarships

Graduates from Westminster and from Atlanta International schools have learned that they won National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities.

The recipients from Westminster are: Albert K. Dai, Lucy J. McGinnis, and Evan T. Roback. The Atlanta International School recipients are: Aaron Z. Freedman, Hannah Mei Freedman, and Alexandra Noelle Zdonczyk.

Only 2,500 students across the country received awards, which provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship, said Eileen Artemakis, the spokeswoman for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

An additional group of scholars will be announced in July, which will bring the total number of college-sponsored Merit Scholarship recipients in the 2013 competition to 4,500.

About 1.5 million juniors in 22,000 high schools took the 2011 PSAT. About 16,000 were named National Merit semifinalists in the fall.

To earn finalist status, students had to present a superior academic record, a recommendation from their principal and an SAT score that was equivalent to or higher than their PSAT score. They also had to submit an application along with an essay.

About 15,000 semifinalists became finalists in February. Winners of corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards and National Merit $2,500 scholarships were announced in the spring.

Combined with the college-sponsored Merit Scholarship winners announced today, about 8,000 high school seniors this year will receive National Merit Scholarships for college undergraduate study worth more $35 million.