Lexington One congratulates National Merit Semifinalists

LEXINGTON, SC – Four Lexington One students are among the 201 South Carolina seniors named as National Merit Semifinalists. The district’s semifinalists include Lexington High’s Rosemary Coskrey, Ashley Fellers and Tristan Simpson, and River Bluff High’s Elizabeth Farrar.

High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT (PSAT), an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year, and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements.

The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

Lexington High’s National Merit Semifinalists include Rosemary Coskrey, Tristan Simpson and Ashley Fellers.

From the approximately 16,000 semifinalists, about 90 percent are expected to attain finalist standing in February 2016. To become a finalist, students must submit a detailed scholarship application, including academic records, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment history, and honors and awards received. To move forward in the competition semifinalists must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

Finalists have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,400 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered next spring.

River Bluff High Senior Elizabeth Farrar earns National Merit Semifinalist status.