Private School Students Named National Merit Semifinalists

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — Students attending private schools in Sandy Springs have been named semifinalists in the 64th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

The high school seniors earning the honor are: Colin Cassell, Samuel Cravey and William Scarborough, Holy Innocents' Episcopal School; Watson Casal, Holy Spirit Preparatory School; and Nolan Siegel, The Weber School.

These students will now continue in the national competition for more than 7,500 Merit Scholarship awards valued at about $31 million.

Announced by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, this is the first round of competition for students seeking the distinction of being named a National Merit Scholar and receiving the scholarship money associated with it. Finalists will be named in February, and the scholarship winners will be announced beginning in April.

Students were identified through exceptionally high scores on the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which they took as juniors. As semifinalists, they now must fulfill several requirements in order to advance to the finalist round. They must have a record of high academic performance, be endorsed and recommended by their school leadership, and earn SAT scores that confirm their earlier qualifying test performance.

A detailed scholarship application, which includes the student's self-descriptive essay and information about his or her participation and leadership in school and community activities, also must be submitted.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation conducts the annual National Merit Scholarship and National Achievement Scholarship programs. Scholarships awarded through the programs are underwritten by business organizations and higher education institutions, as well as by the organization's own funds.

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