Congratulations to the 36 Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) students recently announced Semifinalists in the 65th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors are among the approximately 16,000 who have an opportunity to continue in the competition for 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $31 million.

The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. As juniors, students took the 2018 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants.

Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring and summer of 2020. Every Finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational level. About 1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 220 corporations and business organizations for Finalists who meet their specific criteria. In addition, about 180 colleges and universities will finance 4,100 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for Finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.

Schools represented are College Academy at Broward College, Cypress Bay High School, Deerfield Beach High School, Everglades High School, Fort Lauderdale High School, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, McArthur High School, Nova High School, Pompano Beach High School, and South Plantation High School.