Athens High School student Asa Savoie and Lindsay Lane senior Hunter Harbin were recently announced as National Merit Scholar semifinalists.

“We are Athens Proud of your prestigious academic achievement,” Athens City Schools said of Savoie.

“I know Hunter has a very bright future because he will accomplish anything he sets his mind to,” said Katrina Williams, high school principal at Lindsay Lane. “We are very happy to have him and his family here at Lindsay Lane.”

To enter the National Merit Scholarship competition, a high school student must take the PSAT/NMSQT® at a local high school or approved location during their third year of high school and meet NMSC’s published program participation requirements.

More than 1.5 million students enter the competition each year. 50,000 students with the highest PSAT/NMSQT® Selection Index Scores qualify for recognition in the National Merit Scholarship Program and schools are notified in September if they have students who have qualified as either Commended Students or Semifinalists.

Approximately 16,000 students qualified as semifinalists. Semifinalists are the highest scoring entrants in each state with qualifying scores varying between states.

To be considered for a National Merit Scholarship, Semifinalists must advance to Finalist standing in the competition by meeting high academic standards and all other requirements, such as having a record of consistently very high academic performance in all of grades 9 through 12 and in any college coursework taken and accomplishing ACT/SAT scores that confirm their PSAT/NMSQT® scores.

In February, over 15,000 students will be notified they have advanced to finalist standing, and principals are provided with a Certificate of Merit to present their finalist.

Winners of Merit Scholarship awards are chosen from the Finalist group based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments such as academic record, information about the school’s curriculum and grading system, PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index score, the high school official’s written recommendation, information about the student’s activities and leadership, and the Finalist’s own essay.

More than 7,000 National Merit Scholarships, worth nearly $28 million, will be distributed to winners.