Upper Merion Student Named National Merit Scholar

UPPER MERION, PA — An Upper Merion Area High School student has earned one of the more distinguished honors possible for a high school student: the National Merit Scholarship.

King of Prussia's Hali B. Shin, a computer engineering major, was named a finalist winner and will receive a $2,500 award.

Only 2,500 finalist winners were chosen from a pool of more than 15,000 students from around the nation.

Winners are selected purely on merit, without consideration of their family financial circumstances, college choice, major, or career plans. Students are evaluated on standardized test scores, academic record, leadership and community activities, a recommendation, and an essay.

Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 410 business organizations and higher education institutions, according to the news release.

About 1,000 seniors around the country were granted corporate scholarships, which are given to students who make it to the finalist level of the NMS competition and also meet the criteria of the companies involved.

Patch file photo