Lake Forest Academy Student Earns National Merit Scholarship

LAKE FOREST, IL — A member of the Lake Forest Academy class of 2018 was named among the latest group of about 3,500 National Merit scholars announced by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation Wednesday. The winners were selected from among 15,000 finalists who met academic and other requirements by college admissions officials to receive college-sponsored scholarships. Winners will receive between $500 and $2,000 annually to cover up to four years of undergraduate study.

Daniel D. Chia, of North Barrington, a recent Lake Forest Academy graduate, was awarded a National Merit scholarship to Northwestern University. He has an interest in studying mechanical engineering, according to the Evanston-based nonprofit. Students were evaluated on their academic record, including how difficult their classes were, standardized test scores, extracurricular contributions, an essay and a recommendation from a high school official.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation was founded in 1955. A majority of the $31 million in college scholarships it distributes are underwritten by sponsors – about 178 colleges and 232 corporations, according to the organization. Last month, the organization awarded $2,500 single-payment scholarships to two Lake Bluff residents and a Lake Forest student. The month prior, the NMSC named over 1,000 winners of its corporate-sponsored awards.

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