Cracking National Merit

Approximately 1.5 million high school students enter National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (MNSQT) each year. A total of about 50,000 participants receive recognition in the National Merit® Scholarship Program. In early September, over 16,000 of the 50,000 high scorers are notified that they have qualified as Semifinalists. Semifinalists are the highest-scoring entrants in each state. NMSC notifies them through their schools and provides scholarship application materials explaining the requirements to advance in the competition for National Merit Scholarships. The remaining 34,000 high scorers are named Commended Students and receive Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise.

Congratulations to the Jackson Prep 2022-2023 National Merit Semifinalists Will Upton, Ben Tiller, Jake Mathews, Chase Thompson, and Kimmons Sheppard (top photo) and to Commended Student Tyler Reeves (right).

Congratulations to Prep Senior DJ Johnson (bottom photo), who was recently awarded the National African American Recognition Award from the College Board National Recognition Program. DJ earned this recognition because of his academic achievements in school and outstanding performance on the SAT/NMSQT®.