National Merit Semifinalists
plan for their scholastic futures

By By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
Jan 24, 2004
National Merit Semifinalist and Lamar High School senior Blake Olmstead said he doesn't study constantly. But he said he tries to do all he can to achieve his goals.
National Merit Semifinalists are chosen because of outstanding scores on the preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, or PSAT, and a high level of achievement in high school.
Joining Olmstead as Semifinalists are Northeast High School senior Neville McFerrin and Meridian High School senior Jeff Brantley.
Brantley said he is torn between going to college at Mississippi State University and Georgia Tech, where he wants to study electrical or computer engineering.
There are more than 16,000 National Merit Semifinalists competing in the 49th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The students will have an opportunity to compete for more than 8,000 Merit Scholarship awards, worth more than $32 million.
To become a finalist, semifinalists must have a record of very high academic performance, be endorsed and recommended by their school principal and earn a SAT is in the same range as their PSAT score. Students must also include a self-descriptive essay that contains information about the Semifinalist's participation and leadership in school and community activities.
About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to fulfill all requirements to become Finalists. The competition is sponsored by the National Merit Scholarship Corp., a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance.
Three types of Merit Scholarship awards will be offered in 2004. Each finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 scholarships. More than 200 colleges and universities are expected to finance 4,400 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for Finalists who will attend the sponsoring institution.
The 2004 Merit Scholarship winners will be announced beginning in April. The scholarship recipients will join more than 218,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.
Semifinalists represent less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors.