Standout Scholar

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced Seneca Valley’s very own Haihan Xu as a National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winner. Mr. Xu, a senior, was one of 2,500 Merit Scholar designees who was chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program.

National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the nation’s graduating high school seniors.

This year’s National Merit Scholarship Program began in October 2021 when high school juniors took the PSAT/NMSQT, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. Last fall, the highest-scoring participants in each state, representing less than one percent of the nation’s high school seniors, were named Semifinalists on a state-representational basis. More than 16,000 Semifinalists had an opportunity to continue in the competition.

“We would like to offer our congratulations to Haihan on receiving the National Merit Scholarship,” said Seneca Valley Senior High School Principal, Mr. Bob Ceh. “This award reflects the years of academic dedication that you have completed and is a strong indicator of the great things that are in your future.”

From the Semifinalist group, over 15,000 students met the high academic standards and other requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. By the conclusion of the 2023 program, more than 7,140 Finalists will have earned the “Merit Scholar” title and received a total of nearly $28 million in college scholarships.