We are thrilled to announce that BASIS Independent Fremont has achieved outstanding results in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) has recognized 29 of our talented Class of 2026 students — 13 as Semifinalists and 16 as Commended Scholars. This exceptional achievement means that nearly two-thirds (63%) of our 46-member senior class has earned recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, highlighting the academic excellence that characterizes our school community.

Our 13 Semifinalists will continue in the competition for some 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring:

Aarna K.
Aaron “Josh” P.
Ailsa W.
Akash S.
Alex L.
Annika H.
Jessie L.
Kai L.
Neev J.
Neha N.
Samuel Y.
Shreyas J.
Zixi N.

Over 1.3 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. 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.

“I’m so inspired by our National Merit Semifinalists and Commended Scholars,” said Ms. Abodouma, Head of School at BASIS Independent Fremont. “Their achievement speaks to their hard work, curiosity, and love of learning. It also reflects the supportive and collaborative community we have built together at our school.”

Our Semifinalists now face an exciting next step in the scholarship process. To advance to Finalist status, each student will work with a school official to complete a comprehensive application that showcases their academic achievements, leadership experiences, and community involvement. This application includes submitting their complete academic transcript, writing a personal essay, and providing evidence of their continued academic excellence through standardized test scores. School officials will also provide endorsements highlighting each student’s character and potential.

The journey ahead is competitive but promising. Most Semifinalists successfully advance to become Finalists, with notifications coming in February. From there, scholarship recipients will be selected based on their demonstrated academic ability, leadership potential, and readiness for challenging college coursework.

This achievement represents years of hard work, intellectual curiosity, and academic dedication from our students. We celebrate not only these 29 recognized scholars but the entire Class of 2026, whose collective commitment to learning creates the vibrant academic environment that makes such success possible. Congratulations to all our Yellow Jackets on this outstanding accomplishment!

Curious about the National Merit results across our network of BASIS Independent Schools? Click here to learn more.

BASIS Independent Fremont is a TK – Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the BASIS Independent Fremont community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here.