Los Amigos Student Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist

Priscilla Cheng, 17, a senior at in Fountain Valley, has been named a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist.

Students become National Merit semifinalists due to their respective performances on the PSAT taken as juniors. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

Semifinalists must complete several requirements to advance as finalists in the competition. These include maintaining an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal, and earn PSAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the PSAT.

The semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student’s essay and information about the semifinalist’s participation and leadership in school and community activities.

About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to become finalists, and approximately 50 percent will be named Merit Scholarship winners.

Merit Scholarship winners of 2012 will be named in four nationwide announcements beginning in April and concluding in July.