National Merit Scholarship Program

The National Merit Scholarship Program is a United States academic scholarship competition for recognition and university scholarships. The program is managed by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a privately funded not-for-profit organization based in Evanston, Illinois. The program began in 1955.

Each year, the NMSC conducts a competition that is open to all students who meet the entry requirements. Until 2015, the NMSC also administered the National Achievement Scholarship Program, which was specifically for African-American students.

The highest performers in the National Merit Scholarship Program are named National Merit Scholars. Finalists and Semifinalists are also recognized for their academic and extracurricular achievements. Commended Students are selected based on a nationally applied Selection Index score, which may vary annually and is typically below the level required for participants to be named Semifinalists in their respective states. The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is used as the qualifying test for entry into each year's competitions.

Each year, about 1.6 million students from around 22,000 high schools enter the National Merit Scholarship competition when they take the PSAT/NMSQT. This test is used to screen program entrants, evaluating their critical reading skills, problem-solving abilities in mathematics, and writing skills. Semifinalists are chosen on a state representational basis, depending on the total number of entrants and in proportion to each state's share of the nation's high school graduating seniors. Semifinalists represent the top 0.5 percent of the state's senior students.

To be considered for a National Merit Scholarship, Semifinalists must meet certain requirements to advance to Finalist standing. This includes submitting a detailed scholarship application, which encompasses essays and information about extracurricular achievements, awards, and leadership positions. They must also demonstrate a strong academic record, receive an endorsement and recommendation from a school official, and earn SAT scores that confirm their qualifying test performance. A specific number of students, which varies each year, advance to Finalist standing based on these criteria. At the end of the competition, a select group of Finalists are chosen to receive $2500 National Merit Scholarships. Scholarship winners represent less than 1% of the initial pool of student entrants.