8 Lawrence Township Students Named National Merit Semifinalists

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - Eight students from Lawrence Township are among 16,000 semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced on Tuesday.

The nationwide pool represents less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

The semifinalists named on Tuesday have an opportunity to continue in the competition for 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million that will be offered in the spring.

The following students were named semifinalists:

• Sean Mills, Lawrence High School
• Bryan Fan, Lawrenceville School
• Matthew R. Kutam, Lawrenceville School
• Tsz Long Leung, Lawrenceville School
• Arthur Z. Li, Lawrenceville School
• Carina Y. Li, Lawrenceville School
• Tesia S. Thomasa, Lawrenceville School
• Richard Zhou, Lawrenceville School

High school juniors entered the 67th annual competition by taking the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants.

To become a finalist, the semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the semifinalist's academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received.

A semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, and write an essay.

About 15,000 finalists are expected to advance in a pool of 16,000 semifinalists. Finalists will be notified in February. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of finalists.

Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring. Every finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state representational basis.

Additionally, about 180 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 4,000 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.

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