Two SIS students named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists

EVANSTON, Illinois—Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corp. announced the names of approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 66th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition.

Hwang

Cevina Hwang and Kevin Park were the two students chosen from Saipan International School. Both Hwang and Park have also been recognized as AP Scholars, earning the title AP Scholar with Distinction. Park has already successfully completed eight AP exams and Hwang six exams. Both are enrolled in a full AP course load this year and will attempt between six and eight additionally exams in May.

Hwang, who was also selected as a Questbridge College Prep Scholar this year, enabling to her to attend a summer program at Yale University, said, “This is my 15th year at SIS since K3, and throughout my life I have developed my judgement and character from SIS’ resources. The extensive curriculum has allowed me to perform well in extracurriculars like Speech and Debate, Math Court, and Model United Nations; volunteer through Rotary and at Saipan Cares for Animals; and join volleyball, which I would have never learned otherwise. With zero tutoring nor extra classes and only with the curriculum SIS provides, I have become an AP Scholar with Distinction and earned the AP Capstone Diploma. Now, as a semifinalist, I will work hard to advance further in the National Merit Scholarship Program with what SIS has taught me.”

NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 400 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

Park

Over 1.5 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors. To become a finalist, the semifinalist and a high school official must submit 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. A semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, and write an essay. From the approximately 16,000 semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level, and in February they will be notified of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of finalists. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

National Merit Scholarships

Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring of 2021. Every finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational basis. About 1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 220 corporations and business organizations for finalists who meet their specified criteria, such as children of the grantor’s employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located. In addition, about 180 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 4,100 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.

National Merit Scholarship winners of 2022 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join more than 353,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title. (PR)