Additional IUSD seniors are announced as National Merit Scholars for 2012

Thirteen more IUSD seniors have found themselves in elite company as National Merit Scholars, bringing the district's running total to 25, and additional announcements are coming. Last month, the renowned National Merit Scholarship Corporation revealed the first wave of winners, specifically those who had secured its corporate-sponsored awards, which were financed by businesses, foundations and corporations. On May 2, the organization announced winners of its “National Merit $2500 Scholarships.”

The latter recipients, selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, were deemed to have “the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies.” The awards were funded by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and may be used at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university. To access the official press release, click here. So, once again, you have your corporate-sponsored scholarships, as well as those that are funded directly by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. But the program also offers a third type of scholarship – its college-sponsored awards – and winners of those will be announced in two stages, on May 23 and July 9.

So far, 3,500 students have been named “Merit Scholars” for 2012. By the end of the program, about 8,300 finalists will have earned that title and received more than $35 million in financial assistance.

About 1.5 million students became candidates for National Merit Scholarships when they took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test last year as juniors. About 16,000 of the highest scoring entrants – including nearly 100 from IUSD – were named semifinalists last fall, representing less than 1 percent of all seniors. Semifinalists must fulfill a number requirements to advance, including earning outstanding marks throughout high school, securing the recommendation of their principals and posting high SAT scores. In Orange County, 51 have earned awards in the first two waves of National Merit Scholarship announcements, according to The Orange County Register, which has more here.