On September 11, 2024, officials from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists, and we are thrilled to celebrate four of our BASIS seniors who have been named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists:  

High school juniors entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as the initial screening of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants from about 21,000 high schools across the country. 

While they have outperformed the majority of over 1.3 million high school juniors who entered the Program by taking the 2023 PSAT test, these academically talented seniors’ quest is not over. To become a Finalist, they must also submit a detailed scholarship application showcasing their outstanding academic record, participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. They will be competing for over 6,000 scholarships worth more than $26 million, which will be awarded next spring. 

“We are so incredibly proud of our hard-working students. This is an amazing accomplishment, and we wish them luck as the process continues to unfold. Congratulations again to our Semifinalists!” —Jason Shorbe, Head of School at BASIS Independent McLean.