The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced on Wednesday, Sept. 9, its 2027 list of semifinalist high school students who will now compete for a share of about 6,700 scholarships worth almost $24 million.<\/p>\n
Winners will be announced nationally between April and July next year. This is the 72nd annual competition.<\/p>\n
High school juniors \u2014 11th graders \u2014 entered the 2027 academic competition by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT\/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. More than 1.2 million juniors, in about 20,000 high schools, entered the competition by taking the qualifying test.<\/p>\n
The highest-scoring students in each state represent the pool of semifinalists who, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, represent less than 1% of United States high school seniors.<\/p>\n
The next step for a semifinalist to become a finalist is to complete the required application that includes their SAT or ACT scores, an essay and a letter of recommendation by a high school official.<\/p>\n
Finalists are then chosen on the basis of academic record, their participation in community and school activities, how they have demonstrated leadership ability, employment, awards and honors received.<\/p>\n
From the group of about 16,000 Semifinalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level.<\/p>\n
Students will be notified in February 2027 if they are Finalists. All National Merit Scholarship winners are selected from this group of finalists, and about half of those are expected to win a scholarship from three categories.<\/p>\n
National Merit $2500 Scholarships: Every finalist competes for one of 2,500 scholarships that are awarded on a state-representational basis.<\/p>\n
Corporate-sponsored scholarships: In 2027, about 700 corporate-sponsored awards will be given out by about 120 corporations and business organizations for finalists who meet their specified criteria (such as children of the grantor\u2019s employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located).<\/p>\n
College-sponsored scholarships: About 140 colleges and universities finance about 3,500 awards for finalists who will attend the sponsor\u2019s institution.<\/p>\n
The National Merit Scholarship winners, chosen on the basis of accomplishments, skills and potential for college success, are selected from the February finalists group. Winners are notified, on a rolling basis, in 2027 from April to July.<\/p>\n
The 2027 scholarship winners join the nearly 395,000 past winners who have earned the title of Merit Scholar.<\/p>\n
Here is the list of semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program in Los Angeles County by school location and the school name:<\/p>\n
Agoura Hills<\/p>\n
Agoura Hills HS<\/p>\n
Geertsen, Theodor
\nGertz, Isabella
\nPourfarzi, Radin
\nPrince, Emma
\nSarti, Charlie<\/p>\n
Alhambra<\/p>\n
Mark Keppel HS<\/p>\n
Luu, Ivan
\nMa, Aiden
\nZhuo, Thomas<\/p>\n
Arcadia<\/p>\n
Arcadia HS<\/p>\n
Cheng, Esther
\nCheng, Patrick Haozhong
\nChu, Christopher
\nHsiao, Ethan
\nLin, Paxton
\nSun, Max
\nTsai, Lauren<\/p>\n
Beverly Hills<\/p>\n
Beverly Hills HS<\/p>\n
Marmo, Daniel
\nMatcuk, Arianna<\/p>\n
Burbank<\/p>\n
Burbank HS<\/p>\n
International School Los Angeles<\/p>\n
Calabasas<\/p>\n
Calabasas HS<\/p>\n
Anderson, William
\nDavis, Riley
\nWegman, Micah<\/p>\n
Viewpoint School<\/p>\n
Hughes, Jasper
\nTabandeh, Kian
\nWalser, Kyla<\/p>\n
Carson<\/p>\n
California Academy of Mathematics and Science<\/p>\n
Chen, Austin
\nGe, Anthony
\nGupta, Kavi
\nHong, Shawn
\nKwon, Eugene
\nLi, Felix
\nMartinez, Zachary
\nOkorie, Chukwuebuka
\nPenrod, Maya
\nTefft, Archer
\nTsai, Mason
\nWheeler, Anthony<\/p>\n
Cerritos<\/p>\n
Cerritos HS<\/p>\n
Gretchen Whitney HS<\/p>\n
Bidani, Diya
\nChen, Alexander
\nDang, Connor
\nGupta, Yash
\nKim, Ariel
\nLala, Om
\nPark, Justin
\nSethi, Shravya
\nSon, Daniel
\nTam, Matthew<\/p>\n
Chatsworth<\/p>\n
Sierra Canyon School<\/p>\n
Claremont<\/p>\n
Claremont HS<\/p>\n
Webb Schools<\/p>\n
Bronshtein, Rebecca
\nBush, Kai
\nFenner, Joshua
\nFilson, Aidan
\nLi, Mingyang
\nLiu, Yunjia
\nLou, Chenyuan
\nLuo, Albert
\nSun, Yichen
\nWang, Alexandra
\nWu, Zhuoyuan
\nZhang, Chenhao<\/p>\n
Culver City<\/p>\n
Culver City HS<\/p>\n
Ashley, Juliet
\nCarter, Alexander<\/p>\n
Diamond Bar<\/p>\n
Diamond Bar HS<\/p>\n
Cai, Jalen
\nChang, Charles
\nDai, Aidan
\nDai, Fiona
\nLee, Lucas
\nRauf, AyaanShi, Yuhan
\nTran, Justin
\nTung, William
\nWu, Tzu-Yu
\nXie, Emily
\nZhang, Qingyuan
\nZhi, Zachary<\/p>\n
Duarte<\/p>\n
California School of the Arts San Gabriel Valley<\/p>\n
De Vitton, Hana
\nYue, Karina<\/p>\n
Eagle Rock<\/p>\n
Eagle Rock HS<\/p>\n
El Segundo<\/p>\n
Vistamar<\/p>\n
Glendora<\/p>\n
Glendora HS<\/p>\n
Han, John
\nKern, Henry
\nSamant, Vikram<\/p>\n
Granada Hills<\/p>\n
Granada Hills Charter HS<\/p>\n
Dabbagh, Muhammad
\nKim, Abigail
\nShin, Ryan
\nYen, Delilah<\/p>\n
Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences<\/p>\n
Hacienda Heights<\/p>\n
Glen A. Wilson HS<\/p>\n
La Ca\u00f1ada Flintridge<\/p>\n
Flintridge Preparatory School<\/p>\n
Fong, Ryan
\nLiorsdottir, Ruth
\nLiu, Katelyn
\nLu, Siying
\nNoh, Evan
\nShaw, Gabriel
\nWang, Ella<\/p>\n
La Ca\u00f1ada HS<\/p>\n
Chung, Heath
\nCooray-Woods, Rihan
\nKouz, Peter
\nShanas, Reid
\nSoltanzadeh, Arshan
\nSung, Irene
\nWeinberg, Carlo<\/p>\n
St. Francis HS<\/p>\n
La Crescenta<\/p>\n
Clark Magnet HS<\/p>\n
Antoshechkin, Erik
\nMnatsakanyan, David<\/p>\n
Crescenta Valley HS<\/p>\n
Lee, Lauren
\nPark, Seol-Ah
\nSeong, Erica
\nWilson, Alexander<\/p>\n
La Verne<\/p>\n
Damien HS<\/p>\n
Long Beach<\/p>\n
Long Beach Polytechnic HS<\/p>\n
Chowdhury, Zaheen
\nTsao, Paul<\/p>\n
Los Angeles<\/p>\n
The Archer School for Girls<\/p>\n
Good, Catalina
\nTravers, Adella
\nWashburn, Beatrice<\/p>\n
Brentwood School<\/p>\n
Bergemann, Gabriel
\nSarkisian, Amelia<\/p>\n
Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts<\/p>\n
Benjamin Franklin HS<\/p>\n
Geffen Academy at UCLA<\/p>\n
Cho, Hana
\nJu, Sora
\nMoore, Danica
\nRaustiala, Willem
\nReynaert, Samuel
\nSehati, Benjamin
\nTing, James
\nXie, Eric
\nYang, Mia
\nYang, Seri
\nZhang, Daniel<\/p>\n
Girls Academic Leadership Academy<\/p>\n
Alexander Hamilton HS<\/p>\n
Homeschool \/ Online School<\/p>\n
Le Lycee Francais<\/p>\n
Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies<\/p>\n
Los Angeles HS<\/p>\n
Loyola HS<\/p>\n
Ames, Marco G.
\nDumper, Ethan
\nHarvey, Charles K.
\nIluore, Austin O.
\nJazmines, Dylan Kaeden K.
\nTa-Beadle, Upton S.
\nWoods, Joseph T.<\/p>\n
Marlborough School<\/p>\n
Baskin, Caroline
\nGlazier, Lucy
\nTsoneff, Jemma<\/p>\n
Milken Community School<\/p>\n
New West Charter School<\/p>\n
University HS<\/p>\n
Windward School<\/p>\n
Caruso, Harper S.
\nMansouri, Miles J.
\nRothenberg, Eden V.
\nSimon, Vishnu C.
\nSteinberg, Remy P.
\nSullivan, Nathan K.
\nWiczyk, Sloane J.<\/p>\n
Manhattan Beach<\/p>\n
Mira Costa HS<\/p>\n
Elliott, Melody
\nFinigan, Luke
\nHuang, Geneva
\nIm, Juliette
\nLerner, Mia
\nMaloney, Katherine
\nNewbill, Wyatt
\nNussbaum, Peter
\nPrelle, Frederick
\nZhang, Max
\nZhang, Reese<\/p>\n
North Hollywood<\/p>\n
North Hollywood HS<\/p>\n
Beveridge, Henry D.
\nCrane, Stella M.
\nHuang, Charles S.
\nKang, April S.
\nKim, Euna
\nKup, Luna R.
\nLi, Aden C.
\nLuke, Guthrie W.
\nNadel, Brandon B.
\nPaik-Heintz, Samuel L.
\nPark, Lucas T.
\nPark, Oscar J.
\nPrakir, Shrisha
\nSanz-Agero, Cisco M.<\/p>\n
Oakwood School<\/p>\n
Kaplan, Wren
\nRosenfelt, Oliver<\/p>\n
Science Academy STEM Magnet<\/p>\n
Badalyan, Naira
\nCooper, Gabriel
\nLimketkai, Aidan S.
\nSaid, Felix N.
\nStein, Ryan<\/p>\n
Pacific Palisades<\/p>\n
Palisades Charter HS<\/p>\n
He, Ashley
\nKang, Connor
\nKarish, Dashiel
\nTemer, Ella<\/p>\n
Palos Verdes Estates<\/p>\n
Palos Verdes HS<\/p>\n
Balaji, Ananya N.
\nBhatia, Divya R.
\nBoixo-Fernandez De La Cigona, Nicolas
\nBrekke, Maela R.
\nSun, Samuel Z.
\nViljoen, Anabelle L.
\nWu, Tianqi<\/p>\n
Palos Verdes Peninsula<\/p>\n
Chadwick School<\/p>\n
Burke, Lorelei
\nLee, Evelyn
\nLin, Sophie
\nWang, Kevin
\nZhang, Sophie
\nZheng, Newton<\/p>\n
Pasadena<\/p>\n
La Salle HS<\/p>\n
Polytechnic HS<\/p>\n
Dhadwal, Arjun
\nHong, Qilan
\nHutt, Julietta
\nLee, Karissa L.
\nLiu, Chloe Y.
\nShih, Amelia Y.
\nTrebi-Ollennu, Naomi A.
\nWong, Apollo J.<\/p>\n
Sequoyah School<\/p>\n
Westridge School<\/p>\n
Chen, Lily
\nDu, Ashley
\nMurray, Larkin<\/p>\n
Pomona<\/p>\n
Diamond Ranch HS<\/p>\n
International Polytechnic HS<\/p>\n
Redondo Beach<\/p>\n
Barbarie, Veronica
\nCohon, Aiden
\nKosmala, Nicholas
\nMin, Emery
\nMurray, Cameron
\nReeds, Olivia<\/p>\n
Reseda<\/p>\n
Cleveland HS<\/p>\n
Rolling Hills Estates<\/p>\n
Palos Verdes Peninsula HS<\/p>\n
Baek, Justin C.
\nChen, Robin Y.
\nErikson, John L.
\nHan, Kevin K.
\nKchao, Justin C.
\nKowalski, Kaison
\nKurosawa, Rina
\nLee, Rachel H.
\nLiu, Grant M.
\nLiu, Timothy T.
\nPourafzal, Keanu M.
\nSkinner, Andrew P.
\nSoeng, Nathan M.
\nSpeck, Corey S.
\nWilner, Alexandra S.
\nYu, Avery
\nZhang, Sophia<\/p>\n
Rowland Heights<\/p>\n
John A. Rowland HS<\/p>\n
Tsoi, Leah C.
\nWard, Liam A.<\/p>\n
San Gabriel<\/p>\n
Gabrielino HS<\/p>\n
Le, Benjamin H.
\nSun, Nicholas X.<\/p>\n
San Marino<\/p>\n
San Marino HS<\/p>\n
Chhek, Ian
\nChow, Ethan T.
\nKim, Emily J.
\nLi, Evan N.
\nLiu, Reece N.
\nSun, Spring E.
\nTuey, Michelle N.
\nWang, Angela H.
\nWang, Derek H.
\nZhang, Kimberly M.<\/p>\n
Santa Clarita<\/p>\n
Academy of the Canyons<\/p>\n
Jangeesh, Avantika
\nRajesh, Thanya
\nVagvala, Sricharan<\/p>\n
Santa Monica<\/p>\n
Crossroads School<\/p>\n
Cheuk, Zachary N.
\nMiller, Graham M.<\/p>\n
Santa Monica HS<\/p>\n
Chiang, Patrick
\nGee, Gregory
\nGilyard, Gabriella
\nHelgoe, Anna
\nOleynikov, Matthew
\nShapiro, Ilan
\nTinus, Jefferson<\/p>\n
Saugus<\/p>\n
Saugus HS<\/p>\n
Sherman Oaks<\/p>\n
The Buckley School<\/p>\n
Cohan, Scarlett
\nHenderson, Caroline H.
\nJoh, Asha
\nShin, Philip<\/p>\n
South Pasadena<\/p>\n
South Pasadena HS<\/p>\n
Harrington, Finnian
\nHuang, Tianhan
\nJin, Claire
\nKelly Gerakos, Conor
\nKim, Abigail
\nLiu, Luke
\nSchwartz, Will
\nWong, Fredrik
\nZhang, Jerry<\/p>\n
Studio City<\/p>\n
Campbell Hall<\/p>\n
Fruchbom, Eli
\nShenson, Gavin<\/p>\n
Harvard-Westlake School<\/p>\n
Ahart, Camille M.
\nAtluri, Mateo
\nCai, Jessie
\nChang, Sophie M.
\nCheuk, Alexander K.
\nCondren, Camille
\nCorman, James M.
\nCraig, Hal
\nDuan, Felicia Y.
\nFener, Jack
\nFiglin, Zachary
\nGad, Mae F.
\nGavin, Alexander A.
\nGhassemieh, Dariush
\nGhassemieh, Darya
\nGoksu, Demir H.
\nGoldman, Mira D.
\nGurule, Tali B.
\nHadi, David
\nHandman, Shane C.
\nHawkinson, Lucian C.
\nHou, Colin
\nIyer, Riya S.
\nKennedy, Elise J.
\nKim, Calvin
\nKim, Holden Y.
\nLee, Sophie
\nMartin, Noah C.
\nMaynard, Morgan
\nMilakin, Yaroslav
\nO\u2019Brien, Claire A.
\nO\u2019Connor, Lucas
\nPaek, Marcus
\nPhillips, Hudson K.
\nRascoff, Luke J.
\nRindone, Andrew
\nSchlumberger, Margaux
\nSchneider, Henry J.
\nShallman, Noah S.
\nSong, Angel
\nSunwoo, Jackson
\nThomas, Julia A.
\nUm, Nicole S.
\nWu, Theodore S.
\nZhang, Kevin X.<\/p>\n
Tarzana<\/p>\n
Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies<\/p>\n
Temple City<\/p>\n
Temple City HS<\/p>\n
Chen, Timothy
\nHan, Warren<\/p>\n
Torrance<\/p>\n
Bishop Montgomery HS<\/p>\n
Davies, Minami
\nHernandez, Kieran
\nKim, Leah<\/p>\n
South HS<\/p>\n
Valencia<\/p>\n
Valencia HS<\/p>\n
West Ranch HS<\/p>\n
Fernandez, Colton B.
\nKim, Jun
\nLee, Madison J.
\nMun, David T.
\nRam, Adhvika K.
\nRim, Jacob J.
\nSaravanan, Ajay
\nYuan, Yimeng I.<\/p>\n
Van Nuys<\/p>\n
Van Nuys HS<\/p>\n
Walnut<\/p>\n
Walnut HS<\/p>\n
Hsu, Darren W.
\nWong, Brad C.<\/p>\n
West Hills<\/p>\n
Chaminade College Preparatory<\/p>\n
Banerjee, Ritwik
\nBhat, Ethan
\nGoel, Aslan<\/p>\n
De Toledo HS<\/p>\n
Westlake Village<\/p>\n
Oaks Christian School<\/p>\n
Bernd, Addilyn
\nCrawford, Shane
\nShen, Zhuoran<\/p>\n
Westlake High School<\/p>\n
Bieler, Breanna
\nFei, Kevin
\nLee, Christopher
\nQi, Michelle
\nYuan, Flora
\nZhang, Eric<\/p>\n
Woodland Hills<\/p>\n
El Camino Real Charter HS<\/p>\n
William Howard Taft HS<\/p>\n
Volodarskiy, Alec L.
\nYang, Summer L.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
High school students interested in applying in future years need to talk to their school counselor to make arrangements to take the PSAT\/NMSQT test. Registration is through the high school and not by the students. For information on the competition, tinyurl.com\/mrx4t933<\/a><\/p>\n The National Merit Scholarship Corporation was established in 1955 and is an independent, not-for-profit group that does not operate with government assistance.<\/p>\n The goals of the organization are to reward academically-dedicated students, encourage academic excellence at all levels of education, promote a deeper respect for learning in general and to encourage individuals and organizations to sponsor scholarships.<\/p>\n The National Merit Scholarship Program honors individual students who demonstrate \u201cexceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.\u201d<\/p>\n