Clinton High senior named National Merit semifinalist
September 9, 2026
William “Samuel” Hunt, a senior at Clinton High School, has been named a semifinalist in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program.
National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the names of more than 16,000 semifinalists Tuesday in the 72nd year of the program. Hunt is now completing his application in hopes of advancing to the finalist round.
The recognition follows another academic milestone for Hunt, who earned a composite score of 36 on the ACT earlier this year, the highest the exam awards. Fewer than 1% of test takers reach that mark.
“Samuel has earned this through years of steady, disciplined work, not a single good test day,” said Sallie Wiggins, junior/senior counselor at Clinton High School. “He asks good questions, he holds himself to a high standard and he does it without making a show of it. We are proud to see him recognized at the national level, and we will be pulling for him as he finishes his application.”
Semifinalists represent less than 1% of the nation’s high school seniors and include the highest scorers in each state. More than 1.2 million juniors at about 20,000 high schools entered the competition by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in 2025. The number of semifinalists named in each state is based on that state’s share of the national total of graduating seniors.
To advance, a semifinalist and a school official must submit a detailed application covering the student’s academic record, school and community activities, leadership, employment, and honors. Semifinalists also must write an essay, be endorsed by a school official and post SAT or ACT scores that confirm their performance on the qualifying test.
About 95% of semifinalists nationwide are expected to reach finalist standing and will be notified in February. Roughly half of the finalists will go on to win a scholarship and earn the title of Merit Scholar.
About 6,700 scholarships worth approximately $24 million will be offered next spring. Every finalist competes for one of 2,500 National Merit $2500 Scholarships awarded on a state-representational basis. About 120 corporations and business organizations will fund some 700 additional awards for finalists who meet criteria such as being the child of an employee or living in a community where the sponsor operates. Another 3,500 or so awards will be financed by about 140 colleges and universities for finalists who plan to enroll at the sponsoring institution.
Winners will be announced in four national releases beginning in April and concluding in July.
Hunt is the son of John and Caroline Hunt. He is a member of the Clinton High School Science Olympiad and academic teams. He plans to major in psychology and hopes to become a professor of political psychology.
