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
- Geertsen, Theodor
- Gertz, Isabella
- Pourfarzi, Radin
- Prince, Emma
- Sarti, Charlie
Alhambra
Mark Keppel HS
- Luu, Ivan
- Ma, Aiden
- Zhuo, Thomas
Arcadia
Arcadia HS
- Cheng, Esther
- Cheng, Patrick Haozhong
- Chu, Christopher
- Hsiao, Ethan
- Lin, Paxton
- Sun, Max
- Tsai, Lauren
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills HS
- Marmo, Daniel
- Matcuk, Arianna
Burbank
Burbank HS
- Yoon, Aiden
International School Los Angeles
- Fireman, Hayden
Calabasas
Calabasas HS
- Anderson, William
- Davis, Riley
- Wegman, Micah
Viewpoint School
- Hughes, Jasper
- Tabandeh, Kian
- Walser, Kyla
Carson
California Academy of Mathematics and Science
- Chen, Austin
- Ge, Anthony
- Gupta, Kavi
- Hong, Shawn
- Kwon, Eugene
- Li, Felix
- Martinez, Zachary
- Okorie, Chukwuebuka
- Penrod, Maya
- Tefft, Archer
- Tsai, Mason
- Wheeler, Anthony
Cerritos
Cerritos HS
- Updike, Avery
Gretchen Whitney HS
- Bidani, Diya
- Chen, Alexander
- Dang, Connor
- Gupta, Yash
- Kim, Ariel
- Lala, Om
- Park, Justin
- Sethi, Shravya
- Son, Daniel
- Tam, Matthew
Chatsworth
Sierra Canyon School
- Xiao, Liyue
Claremont
Claremont HS
- Chiou, Iris
- Fu, ZiQi N.
Webb Schools
- Bronshtein, Rebecca
- Bush, Kai
- Fenner, Joshua
- Filson, Aidan
- Li, Mingyang
- Liu, Yunjia
- Lou, Chenyuan
- Luo, Albert
- Sun, Yichen
- Wang, Alexandra
- Wu, Zhuoyuan
- Zhang, Chenhao
Culver City
Culver City HS
- Ashley, Juliet
- Carter, Alexander
Diamond Bar
Diamond Bar HS
- Cai, Jalen
- Chang, Charles
- Dai, Aidan
- Dai, Fiona
- Lee, Lucas
- Rauf, AyaanShi, Yuhan
- Tran, Justin
- Tung, William
- Wu, Tzu-Yu
- Xie, Emily
- Zhang, Qingyuan
- Zhi, Zachary
Duarte
California School of the Arts San Gabriel Valley
- De Vitton, Hana
- Yue, Karina
Eagle Rock
Eagle Rock HS
- Hosack, Nyda L.
El Segundo
Vistamar
- Hinkle, Paige
Glendora
Glendora HS
- Han, John
- Kern, Henry
- Samant, Vikram
Granada Hills
Granada Hills Charter HS
- Dabbagh, Muhammad
- Kim, Abigail
- Shin, Ryan
- Yen, Delilah
Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences
- D’Alessio, Jonah S.
Hacienda Heights
Glen A. Wilson HS
- Lee, Felix
La Cañada Flintridge
Flintridge Preparatory School
- Fong, Ryan
- Liorsdottir, Ruth
- Liu, Katelyn
- Lu, Siying
- Noh, Evan
- Shaw, Gabriel
- Wang, Ella
La Cañada HS
- Chung, Heath
- Cooray-Woods, Rihan
- Kouz, Peter
- Shanas, Reid
- Soltanzadeh, Arshan
- Sung, Irene
- Weinberg, Carlo
St. Francis HS
- Chen, Ryan J.
La Crescenta
Clark Magnet HS
- Antoshechkin, Erik
- Mnatsakanyan, David
Crescenta Valley HS
- Lee, Lauren
- Park, Seol-Ah
- Seong, Erica
- Wilson, Alexander
La Verne
Damien HS
- Metz, Andrew
Long Beach
Long Beach Polytechnic HS
- Chowdhury, Zaheen
- Tsao, Paul
Los Angeles
The Archer School for Girls
- Good, Catalina
- Travers, Adella
- Washburn, Beatrice
Brentwood School
- Bergemann, Gabriel
- Sarkisian, Amelia
Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts
- Truong, Cindy
Benjamin Franklin HS
- Le-Baker, Cecily X.
Geffen Academy at UCLA
- Cho, Hana
- Ju, Sora
- Moore, Danica
- Raustiala, Willem
- Reynaert, Samuel
- Sehati, Benjamin
- Ting, James
- Xie, Eric
- Yang, Mia
- Yang, Seri
- Zhang, Daniel
Girls Academic Leadership Academy
- Corcoran, Audrey G.
Alexander Hamilton HS
- Perkins, Jackson H.
Homeschool / Online School
- Kim, Aaron
Le Lycee Francais
- Reisert, Gavin
Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies
- Erlikhman, Adrian N.
Los Angeles HS
- Lee, Aden J.
Loyola HS
- Ames, Marco G.
- Dumper, Ethan
- Harvey, Charles K.
- Iluore, Austin O.
- Jazmines, Dylan Kaeden K.
- Ta-Beadle, Upton S.
- Woods, Joseph T.
Marlborough School
- Baskin, Caroline
- Glazier, Lucy
- Tsoneff, Jemma
Milken Community School
- Karidi, Itai M.
New West Charter School
- Gumpert, Hannah
University HS
- Rowe, Griffin C.
Windward School
- Caruso, Harper S.
- Mansouri, Miles J.
- Rothenberg, Eden V.
- Simon, Vishnu C.
- Steinberg, Remy P.
- Sullivan, Nathan K.
- Wiczyk, Sloane J.
Manhattan Beach
Mira Costa HS
- Elliott, Melody
- Finigan, Luke
- Huang, Geneva
- Im, Juliette
- Lerner, Mia
- Maloney, Katherine
- Newbill, Wyatt
- Nussbaum, Peter
- Prelle, Frederick
- Zhang, Max
- Zhang, Reese
North Hollywood
North Hollywood HS
- Beveridge, Henry D.
- Crane, Stella M.
- Huang, Charles S.
- Kang, April S.
- Kim, Euna
- Kup, Luna R.
- Li, Aden C.
- Luke, Guthrie W.
- Nadel, Brandon B.
- Paik-Heintz, Samuel L.
- Park, Lucas T.
- Park, Oscar J.
- Prakir, Shrisha
- Sanz-Agero, Cisco M.
Oakwood School
- Kaplan, Wren
- Rosenfelt, Oliver
Science Academy STEM Magnet
- Badalyan, Naira
- Cooper, Gabriel
- Limketkai, Aidan S.
- Said, Felix N.
- Stein, Ryan
Pacific Palisades
Palisades Charter HS
- He, Ashley
- Kang, Connor
- Karish, Dashiel
- Temer, Ella
Palos Verdes Estates
Palos Verdes HS
- Balaji, Ananya N.
- Bhatia, Divya R.
- Boixo-Fernandez De La Cigona, Nicolas
- Brekke, Maela R.
- Sun, Samuel Z.
- Viljoen, Anabelle L.
- Wu, Tianqi
Palos Verdes Peninsula
Chadwick School
- Burke, Lorelei
- Lee, Evelyn
- Lin, Sophie
- Wang, Kevin
- Zhang, Sophie
- Zheng, Newton
Pasadena
La Salle HS
- Tran, Amirah V.
Polytechnic HS
- Dhadwal, Arjun
- Hong, Qilan
- Hutt, Julietta
- Lee, Karissa L.
- Liu, Chloe Y.
- Shih, Amelia Y.
- Trebi-Ollennu, Naomi A.
- Wong, Apollo J.
Sequoyah School
- Kumar, Ansh
Westridge School
- Chen, Lily
- Du, Ashley
- Murray, Larkin
Pomona
Diamond Ranch HS
- Beatty, Amara K.
International Polytechnic HS
- Li, Jayson
Redondo Beach
- Barbarie, Veronica
- Cohon, Aiden
- Kosmala, Nicholas
- Min, Emery
- Murray, Cameron
- Reeds, Olivia
Reseda
Cleveland HS
- Luchko, Alexander
Rolling Hills Estates
Palos Verdes Peninsula HS
- Baek, Justin C.
- Chen, Robin Y.
- Erikson, John L.
- Han, Kevin K.
- Kchao, Justin C.
- Kowalski, Kaison
- Kurosawa, Rina
- Lee, Rachel H.
- Liu, Grant M.
- Liu, Timothy T.
- Pourafzal, Keanu M.
- Skinner, Andrew P.
- Soeng, Nathan M.
- Speck, Corey S.
- Wilner, Alexandra S.
- Yu, Avery
- Zhang, Sophia
Rowland Heights
John A. Rowland HS
- Tsoi, Leah C.
- Ward, Liam A.
San Gabriel
Gabrielino HS
- Le, Benjamin H.
- Sun, Nicholas X.
San Marino
San Marino HS
- Chhek, Ian
- Chow, Ethan T.
- Kim, Emily J.
- Li, Evan N.
- Liu, Reece N.
- Sun, Spring E.
- Tuey, Michelle N.
- Wang, Angela H.
- Wang, Derek H.
- Zhang, Kimberly M.
Santa Clarita
Academy of the Canyons
- Jangeesh, Avantika
- Rajesh, Thanya
- Vagvala, Sricharan
Santa Monica
Crossroads School
- Cheuk, Zachary N.
- Miller, Graham M.
Santa Monica HS
- Chiang, Patrick
- Gee, Gregory
- Gilyard, Gabriella
- Helgoe, Anna
- Oleynikov, Matthew
- Shapiro, Ilan
- Tinus, Jefferson
Saugus
Saugus HS
- Sanders, Evan
Sherman Oaks
The Buckley School
- Cohan, Scarlett
- Henderson, Caroline H.
- Joh, Asha
- Shin, Philip
South Pasadena
South Pasadena HS
- Harrington, Finnian
- Huang, Tianhan
- Jin, Claire
- Kelly Gerakos, Conor
- Kim, Abigail
- Liu, Luke
- Schwartz, Will
- Wong, Fredrik
- Zhang, Jerry
Studio City
Campbell Hall
- Fruchbom, Eli
- Shenson, Gavin
Harvard-Westlake School
- Ahart, Camille M.
- Atluri, Mateo
- Cai, Jessie
- Chang, Sophie M.
- Cheuk, Alexander K.
- Condren, Camille
- Corman, James M.
- Craig, Hal
- Duan, Felicia Y.
- Fener, Jack
- Figlin, Zachary
- Gad, Mae F.
- Gavin, Alexander A.
- Ghassemieh, Dariush
- Ghassemieh, Darya
- Goksu, Demir H.
- Goldman, Mira D.
- Gurule, Tali B.
- Hadi, David
- Handman, Shane C.
- Hawkinson, Lucian C.
- Hou, Colin
- Iyer, Riya S.
- Kennedy, Elise J.
- Kim, Calvin
- Kim, Holden Y.
- Lee, Sophie
- Martin, Noah C.
- Maynard, Morgan
- Milakin, Yaroslav
- O’Brien, Claire A.
- O’Connor, Lucas
- Paek, Marcus
- Phillips, Hudson K.
- Rascoff, Luke J.
- Rindone, Andrew
- Schlumberger, Margaux
- Schneider, Henry J.
- Shallman, Noah S.
- Song, Angel
- Sunwoo, Jackson
- Thomas, Julia A.
- Um, Nicole S.
- Wu, Theodore S.
- Zhang, Kevin X.
Tarzana
Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies
- Sanchez, Maya C.
Temple City
Temple City HS
- Chen, Timothy
- Han, Warren
Torrance
Bishop Montgomery HS
- Davies, Minami
- Hernandez, Kieran
- Kim, Leah
South HS
- Lee, Bennett
- Lee, Ryan
Valencia
Valencia HS
- Kim, Jean
West Ranch HS
- Fernandez, Colton B.
- Kim, Jun
- Lee, Madison J.
- Mun, David T.
- Ram, Adhvika K.
- Rim, Jacob J.
- Saravanan, Ajay
- Yuan, Yimeng I.
Van Nuys
Van Nuys HS
- Passos, Antonio B.
Walnut
Walnut HS
- Hsu, Darren W.
- Wong, Brad C.
West Hills
Chaminade College Preparatory
- Banerjee, Ritwik
- Bhat, Ethan
- Goel, Aslan
De Toledo HS
- Svilik, Jonathan
Westlake Village
Oaks Christian School
- Bernd, Addilyn
- Crawford, Shane
- Shen, Zhuoran
Westlake High School
- Bieler, Breanna
- Fei, Kevin
- Lee, Christopher
- Qi, Michelle
- Yuan, Flora
- Zhang, Eric
Woodland Hills
El Camino Real Charter HS
- Voodi, Neha
William Howard Taft HS
- Volodarskiy, Alec L.
- Yang, Summer L.
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