LA PLATA, Md. (Sept. 25, 2010)—The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) recently named Erin Chapman, a senior at North Point High School, a semi-finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Chapman was chosen as a semi-finalist out of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2011 National Merit Program. Students are considered for the program when they take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMST) as high school juniors.
Chapman and approximately 16,000 other semi-finalists advance to the finalist level, which is determined by high school academic performance and SAT scores, as well as for community involvement and leadership. Merit Scholars are also selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The nationwide pool of semi-finalists includes the highest entrants in each state and scholarships will be awarded on a state representational basis.
Chapman plans to study biomedical research and has not yet decided what college or university she will attend.
Additionally, six county seniors were also named commended students through the program. They are Joshua Boyd and Jessica Davis of Henry E. Lackey High School; Michael Bradford and Matthew Gill of La Plata High School; Elizabeth Watson of Maurice J. McDonough High School; and Nicholas Teleky of North Point.
Commended students placed among the top five percent or more of those who entered the 2011 program. This year, the NMSC commended more than 34,000 students nationwide.
The NMSC is a non-profit organization that was established in 1955 to conduct the annual National Merit Program. Scholarships awarded through the program are underwritten by NMSC’s funds and more than 500 business organizations and other educational institutions with the goal of honoring the nation’s scholastic students and the pursuit of academic excellence.
Source: Charles County Public Schools