More than 220 high school seniors from Orange County have been named semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program, placing them among the top 1 percent of U.S. students based on their PSAT scores.
These students are part of a nationwide pool of over 16,000 semifinalists selected for their academic performance, moving one step closer to competing for nearly $26 million in scholarships that will be awarded next spring.
Troy High School in the Fullerton Union High School District and University High School in the Irvine Unified School District led the county with the most semifinalists this year.
To qualify, students achieved top scores on the 2023 Preliminary SAT and National Merit Scholarship qualifying test, placing them among the top 1 percent of test-takers in their respective states.
Moving forward, the semifinalists will need to meet additional criteria to advance to finalist status. This includes submitting a detailed application, writing an essay and demonstrating an outstanding academic record, leadership and involvement in their schools and communities. About 95 percent of the semifinalists are expected to advance to the finalist stage — with roughly half of them ultimately winning one of the 6,870 National Merit Scholarships next spring.
The OC Register has published a complete list of the OC National Merit semifinalists.
Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:
- Dean West, OCDE’s associate superintendent of Business Services, was honored by the California County Superintendents organization for his exceptional leadership and service during the group’s annual awards ceremony.
- Nine students from Orange County — recognized among the top 300 in the 2024 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge — have advanced in one of the nation’s premier middle school STEM competitions with projects ranging from AI-powered detectors to energy harvesting solutions.
- Students from Robinson and Trabuco elementary schools returned to their home campuses after being displaced by the Airport Fire, following a warm welcome from nearby schools that hosted them during the closure.
- Five Orange County schools were named among America’s Healthiest Schools of 2024 for their efforts to improve the health and well-being of students, staff and families.
- The Newport-Mesa Unified School District approved 7 percent salary increases and additional benefits for teachers, classified employees and administrators — totaling over $25 million — while also expanding teacher preparation time and participating in a statewide summer assistance program for classified staff.
- The Santa Ana Unified School District is facing a lawsuit from Jewish advocacy groups based on allegations of open meeting law violations during the development of its ethnic studies coursework, which they claim includes antisemitic material. District officials have denied the allegations and defended their curriculum.
- During Ocean View High School’s Hispanic Heritage Festival on Sept. 17, students enjoyed beef birria tacos and other dishes made from the recipe of celebrity chef Jonathan Zaragoza, while also experiencing traditional folk dances performed by local student groups.
- Schools across Southern California have received multiple social media threats in recent days, prompting increased law enforcement presence on campuses. Meanwhile, a 13-year-old girl was arrested Tuesday for allegedly making threats against a school in Riverside, as similar incidents nationwide continue to raise concerns among law enforcement, parents and administrators.
- The Cypress School District Board of Trustees voted 3-1 on Sept. 16 to appoint Meghna Parikh as the interim representative for Trustee Area C.
- The city of Huntington Beach filed a lawsuit this week challenging a state law that prohibits schools from requiring teachers to inform parents about students’ gender identity.
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