Two Douglas County Seniors Named National Merit Finalists

DOUGLAS COUNTY, GA -- Two Douglas County students have been named National Merit Scholarship Program finalists. Xufei "Jennifer" Liu and Joseph "Joey" Steele, both seniors at Douglas County High School, now have the opportunity to compete for 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million.

Liu and Steele represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors. Merit Scholarship winners will be selected by a committee made up of college admission officers and high school counselors on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. All winners of Merit Scholarship awards are chosen from the Finalist group based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments. Over 1.6 million juniors in about 22,000 high schools entered the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2017 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants.

To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and his or her high school submitted a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received.