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National Merit 2027: LA County scholarship semifinalists announced

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The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced on Wednesday, Sept. 9, its 2027 list of semifinalist high school students who will now compete for a share of about 6,700 scholarships worth almost $24 million.

Winners will be announced nationally between April and July next year. This is the 72nd annual competition.

High school juniors — 11th graders — entered the 2027 academic competition by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. More than 1.2 million juniors, in about 20,000 high schools, entered the competition by taking the qualifying test.

The highest-scoring students in each state represent the pool of semifinalists who, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, represent less than 1% of United States high school seniors.

The next step for a semifinalist to become a finalist is to complete the required application that includes their SAT or ACT scores, an essay and a letter of recommendation by a high school official.

Finalists are then chosen on the basis of academic record, their participation in community and school activities, how they have demonstrated leadership ability, employment, awards and honors received.

From the group of about 16,000 Semifinalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level.

Students will be notified in February 2027 if they are Finalists. All National Merit Scholarship winners are selected from this group of finalists, and about half of those are expected to win a scholarship from three categories.

National Merit $2500 Scholarships: Every finalist competes for one of 2,500 scholarships that are awarded on a state-representational basis.

Corporate-sponsored scholarships: In 2027, about 700 corporate-sponsored awards will be given out by about 120 corporations and business organizations for finalists who meet their specified criteria (such as children of the grantor’s employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located).

College-sponsored scholarships: About 140 colleges and universities finance about 3,500 awards for finalists who will attend the sponsor’s institution.

The National Merit Scholarship winners, chosen on the basis of accomplishments, skills and potential for college success, are selected from the February finalists group. Winners are notified, on a rolling basis, in 2027 from April to July.

The 2027 scholarship winners join the nearly 395,000 past winners who have earned the title of Merit Scholar.

Here is the list of semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program in Los Angeles County by school location and the school name:

Agoura Hills

Agoura Hills HS

Alhambra

Mark Keppel HS

Arcadia

Arcadia HS

Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills HS

Burbank

Burbank HS

International School Los Angeles

Calabasas

Calabasas HS

Viewpoint School

Carson

California Academy of Mathematics and Science

Cerritos

Cerritos HS

Gretchen Whitney HS

Chatsworth

Sierra Canyon School

Claremont

Claremont HS

Webb Schools

Culver City

Culver City HS

Diamond Bar

Diamond Bar HS

Duarte

California School of the Arts San Gabriel Valley

Eagle Rock

Eagle Rock HS

El Segundo

Vistamar

Glendora

Glendora HS

Granada Hills

Granada Hills Charter HS

Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences

Hacienda Heights

Glen A. Wilson HS

La Cañada Flintridge

Flintridge Preparatory School

La Cañada HS

St. Francis HS

La Crescenta

Clark Magnet HS

Crescenta Valley HS

La Verne

Damien HS

Long Beach

Long Beach Polytechnic HS

Los Angeles

The Archer School for Girls

Brentwood School

Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts

Benjamin Franklin HS

Geffen Academy at UCLA

Girls Academic Leadership Academy

Alexander Hamilton HS

Homeschool / Online School

Le Lycee Francais

Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies

Los Angeles HS

Loyola HS

Marlborough School

Milken Community School

New West Charter School

University HS

Windward School

Manhattan Beach

Mira Costa HS

North Hollywood

North Hollywood HS

Oakwood School

Science Academy STEM Magnet

Pacific Palisades

Palisades Charter HS

Palos Verdes Estates

Palos Verdes HS

Palos Verdes Peninsula

Chadwick School

Pasadena

La Salle HS

Polytechnic HS

Sequoyah School

Westridge School

Pomona

Diamond Ranch HS

International Polytechnic HS

Redondo Beach

Reseda

Cleveland HS

Rolling Hills Estates

Palos Verdes Peninsula HS

Rowland Heights

John A. Rowland HS

San Gabriel

Gabrielino HS

San Marino

San Marino HS

Santa Clarita

Academy of the Canyons

Santa Monica

Crossroads School

Santa Monica HS

Saugus

Saugus HS

Sherman Oaks

The Buckley School

South Pasadena

South Pasadena HS

Studio City

Campbell Hall

Harvard-Westlake School

Tarzana

Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies

Temple City

Temple City HS

Torrance

Bishop Montgomery HS

South HS

Valencia

Valencia HS

West Ranch HS

Van Nuys

Van Nuys HS

Walnut

Walnut HS

West Hills

Chaminade College Preparatory

De Toledo HS

Westlake Village

Oaks Christian School

Westlake High School

Woodland Hills

El Camino Real Charter HS

William Howard Taft HS

 

High school students interested in applying in future years need to talk to their school counselor to make arrangements to take the PSAT/NMSQT test. Registration is through the high school and not by the students. For information on the competition, tinyurl.com/mrx4t933

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation was established in 1955 and is an independent, not-for-profit group that does not operate with government assistance.

The goals of the organization are to reward academically-dedicated students, encourage academic excellence at all levels of education, promote a deeper respect for learning in general and to encourage individuals and organizations to sponsor scholarships.

The National Merit Scholarship Program honors individual students who demonstrate “exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.”

Information: nationalmerit.org

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