Hamilton High School student Flora Zeng learned recently that she has advanced in the 2005 National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) competition. After being named semifinalist last fall, the Hamilton senior learned last week that she qualified as a finalist.
The National Merit Scholarship Program honors students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.
Zeng is among 15,000 finalists nationwide who will compete for 8,200 merit scholarships. Merit scholars will be announced this spring.
More than 1.3 million students entered the 2005 National Merit Program when they were juniors by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Fewer than one percent of the nation’s high school seniors were named semifinalists.
Privately financed and not-for-profit, NMSC receives grants from some 600 independent sponsors to underwrite scholarships in each annual competition.