The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the names of 16,000 semifinalists last week in the 68th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. CUSD had 10 students from three high schools earn the honor.
| Dylan Anuskiewicz | Aliso Niguel |
| Gianna Ysabel Besmonte | Aliso Niguel |
| Zachary Breuer | Tesoro |
| Chelsea Jiang | Aliso Niguel |
| Fardean Khajehmiraki | Tesoro |
| Keny Lau | San Juan Hills |
| Yi-Ning Li | Tesoro |
| Melody Lin | Tesoro |
| Mason Royle | Tesoro |
| Rachel Warner | San Juan Hills |
High school juniors entered the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen for program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.
To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.
To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. 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.
National Merit Scholarship winners of 2023 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join nearly 368,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.