Two Charlottesville High School Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists
Two seniors from Charlottesville High School have been named National Merit Semifinalists.
Charlottesville, VA, November 9, 2026 — Charlottesville High School is celebrating the academic achievement of two of its senior students who have been recognized as National Merit Semifinalists. The prestigious designation is part of the National Merit Scholarship Program, which honors academically talented high school students across the United States.
The names of the two seniors from Charlottesville High School were not provided. Semifinalists were selected from a pool of over 1.5 million juniors who took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) in 2022. To qualify as a Semifinalist, students must have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and performance on the PSAT/NMSQT.
The National Merit Scholarship Program is one of the most respected academic recognition programs in the country. Each year, approximately 16,000 students are named Semifinalists. These students are then eligible to compete for a portion of the approximately 7,500 Merit Scholarship awards that are awarded annually. The program is administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a not-for-profit organization.
Semifinalists represent the top scorers in each state. The number of Semifinalists selected in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the total national senior population. While the summary states that two seniors from Charlottesville High School have achieved this recognition, further details regarding their specific scores or the exact number of students recognized nationally within this cohort were not immediately available.
Students who are named Semifinalists have the opportunity to advance to the Finalist stage. To become a Finalist, students must submit a detailed application that includes their academic record, extracurricular activities, leadership experience, and an essay. Finalists are then considered for a range of scholarships, including the National Merit Scholarship, Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarships, and College-Sponsored Merit Scholarships. The process typically concludes in the spring of the students’ senior year.
Story summarized from the original created by Karesha Graham on www.cbs19news.com, see more information here.
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