05/27/2026
HUGE congratulations to 2026 CHS graduate, Austin Clift!
Congratulations to Austin Clift!! Austin was selected as a National Merit Scholar. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®) announced this year’s National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners. The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.
National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have
the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the nation’s graduating high school seniors.
These Scholars were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high
school counselors, who appraised a substantial amount of information submitted by both the
Finalists and their high schools: the academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied
and grades earned; scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
(PSAT/NMSQT®); contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay
written by the Finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.
NMSC finances most of these single-payment National Merit $2500 Scholarships.
Corporations and company foundations that sponsor awards through NMSC help underwrite
these scholarships with grants they provide in lieu of paying administrative fees. Donations made to NMSC’s President’s Fund also provide funding for some National Merit $2500 Scholarship awards. Scholars may use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.
2026 National Merit Scholarship Competition
This year’s National Merit Scholarship Program began in October 2024 when high school
juniors took the PSAT/NMSQT, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. Last fall,
the highest-scoring participants in each state, representing less than one percent of the nation’s
high school seniors were named Semifinalists on a state-representational basis. More than 16,000 Semifinalists had an opportunity to continue in the competition.
From the Semifinalist group, over 15,000 students met the very high academic standards
and other requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. By the conclusion of
the 2026 program, about 6,700 Finalists will have earned the “Merit Scholar” title and received a
total of nearly $24 million in college scholarships.
NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was
founded in 1955 specifically to conduct the National Merit Scholarship Program. The majority
of scholarships offered each year are underwritten by approximately 300 independent corporate
and college sponsors that share NMSC’s goals of honoring scholastically talented youth and
encouraging academic excellence at all levels of education.
