1 Westhampton Beach High School Student Named National Merit Semifinalist

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY — Westhampton Beach High School student Adam R. Sheren has been named a semifinalist in the 63rd Annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

He is one of only two students on the East End to earn the distinction; the second is Daniel Dimijian of Hampton Bays High School.

They are among 16,000 semifinalists and will have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered next spring.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title, a release said.

About 1.6 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship qualifying test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants.

The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than 1% of United States high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state.

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