By Staff
Becky Miller
Guest writer
Russell Day, Shannon Larson and Wyman Li, seniors at Bob Jones High School in Madison, are finalists for a National Merit scholarship.
Final scholarship notification will be announced later this month. Of 1.2 million participants in each merit program, some 50,000 with the highest PSAT test scores are offered college plans reporting service. The service is provided without charge to encourage direct communication between the students and college officials.
Usage of this service gives the student the opportunity to find out about admission procedures and financial opportunities.
Day, Larson and Li will now qualify as semi-finalists for the annual merit program and have the opportunity to advance in the competition for more than 7,600 merit scholarship awards. Semi-finalists are named on a state representational basis to ensure that all states are considered.
According to Day, Larson and Li, an essay must be written about his or her plans and goals, interests, major activities, awards, volunteer and paid work and contributions to the school and community. In addition, a school official must endorse them for further consideration and complete portions of the scholarship application.
Approximately 90 percent of the semifinalists will make it to the finalist status. Scholarships, worth more than $41 million, are awarded each year through the program to winners chosen on the basis of scholastic and extra curricular activities and talents.
Financing for the scholarship money comes from corporate or business sponsors, professional organizations, colleges themselves, or the program's own funds.
The merit program began in 1956 and has awarded more than 208,000 scholarships with sponsors committing more than $708 million to underwrite the awards.
Day, Larson and Li have not made a decision at this time as to what college they plan to attend this fall.