Students entered the 2027 program by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The qualifying scores in Maryland are among the highest in the country, making Gonzalez’s achievement even more notable.

 

Gonzalez now has the opportunity to advance and be considered for the program’s highest honor, National Merit Finalist. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. Finalists will be notified in February 2027.

 

Over 16,000 Semifinalists were named in the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program and will have the opportunity to become finalists and compete for some 6,930 Merit Scholarship® awards worth nearly $24 million.