West Islip Senior Named National Merit Semifinalist

WEST ISLIP, NY — A West Islip student has been named a semifinalist in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Asfar Chaudhry, a senior at West Islip High School, was announced as one of the 16,000 semifinalists nationwide on Wednesday.

According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the pool of semifinalists represents less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. About 95% of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship.

High school juniors entered the annual competition by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Semifinalists must submit a detailed application which includes their academic record, participation in school and community activities, and honors and awards received.

More than 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million will be awarded between April and July 2023.