1 Upper Moreland HS Student Named National Merit Semifinalists

UPPER MORELAND, PA — One Upper Moreland High School student has been named a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist, the organization that conducts the highly selective awards announced this week.

Upper Moreland student Christian Feil is among some 16,000 semifinalists nationwide.

To be named a semifinalist is a significant achievement, as more than 1.3 million high school juniors who took the pre-SAT were enrolled in the competition.

From the semifinal field of 16,000, just 6,390 students will win the final scholarships. Around $26 million in scholarships in total will be awarded, funded both by universities and corporations.

To become a finalist, winner are selected based on "accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies," the corporation says. Academically, this is chiefly judged by standardized test scores on PSAT, as well as grades in school classes. Outside of the classroom, judges look at an essay written by the finalist, a letter of recommendation by a high school official, and various contributions to the school and community.

Winners will be announced in the spring.

The 2025-26 round of scholarshipsmarks the 71st year of the contest.