McDowell students named semifinalists; commended for National Merit Scholarship

National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of more than 16,000 semifinalists in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program. That list of names included two McDowell High School Students: Katherine P. and Gridley W.

“We are incredibly proud of Gridley and Katherine for being named National Merit Semifinalists. Their hard work, dedication, and pursuit of excellence represent the very best of our school community. This recognition is a testament not only to their individual achievements but also to the support of their families and teachers who have encouraged them along the way,” McDowell Principal Sandra Means said.

Semifinalists have the opportunity to compete for some 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for these awards, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 95% of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a scholarship and earn the Merit Scholar title. Winners will be announced in four nationwide news releases from NMSC beginning in April and ending in July.

McDowell also is proud to announce five additional students were named as commended students for the National Merit Scholarship Program. There are about 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation for 2026. While they will not earn a NMSC award, they are placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the competition by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The five commended students from McDowell are: Matthew B., Sowmiya Deventhira R., Lora N. and Smriti S.