CENTRAL, SC Today, officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for about 6,700 National Merit scholarships worth approximately $24 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.
D.W. Daniel High School is proud to recognize the following six students for being named National Merit Semifinalists this year:
Ryan Chen
Arjun Jain
Louise Kaye
Levi Tennant
Lilly Tidwell
Yuhang Wu
The principal, Adam Russell of D.W. Daniel High School also announced today that Bridgett Everson, Emily Russell, and Olivia Siemens have been named Commended Students in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program. A letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) which conducts the program, was presented by the principal to these scholastically talented seniors.
About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2027 competition for the National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2027 competition by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
NMSC a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by about 260 business organizations, higher education institutions, and individual donors that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.