Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation releases thousands of yearly scholarships to students across the United States who embody exceptional academic ability as shown through their PSAT exam results. Recently, about 16,000 semifinalists for the 2027 competition were announced. These students are among the 1 percent top scorers in their states and will complete application materials to determine whether they can advance to the finals. Selected students will then receive a scholarship of $2500.

Fifteen Unionville High School students have been named semifinalists: Winston Cai, Alicia Chou, Emma Coutinho, Nathaniel Gushurst, Paridhi Jian, Aarnav Joginapally, Liam Krausz, Isabella Morina, Mia Nie, Sera Ozcan, Dominic Rayos, Timothy Sherman, Tiffany Truong, Michael Tucker, and Brendon Yu.

Senior Alicia Chou took a slightly different approach for preparing for the SAT compared to most students. Instead of following a prep program, she self-studied and used resources like videos and Bluebook to prepare. Through the practice tests the high school provided, she was able to improve. Alicia originally had doubts about her score, since the cutoff changes every year, and Pennsylvania’s average score is typically higher. “I didn't know if [my PSAT score] was necessarily high enough . . . when they asked me to come down [to the office] and told us we were all semifinalists, I was pleasantly surprised,” she said. Alicia’s older sister, who was also a semifinalist, gave her insight into the exam. “She was able to give me advice on how to prepare for the test and what to focus on in my academic career,” Chou said. While many students use INTO PREP to prepare, the discipline to study and complete practice tests alone is equally important.

Chou shared her opinion on the importance of the National Merit. Alicia said, “Remember that even though it's a nice award to have, it's not the end of the world if you don't get it. Many bright students don't get it and that's fine.” Regarding the college application process, she said, “The college admission process is very holistic and unpredictable, so don't put too much weight on something and stress yourself out.”

Chou’s extracurriculars include HOSA and volunteering at the Kennett Library. After high school, she hopes to pursue healthcare at schools such as UNC Chapel Hill, the University of Virginia, the University of Florida, or Emory University.

Congratulations to all students who achieved semifinalist standing this year.