Nishant Desai, a senior at the Dr. TJ Owens Early College
Academy
– an alternative high school located on the campus of Gavilan
College on 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd. – has been named one of 16,000
semifinalists in the 57th annual National Merit Scholarship
Program.
Nishant Desai, a senior at the Dr. TJ Owens Early College Academy – an alternative high school located on the campus of Gavilan College on 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd. – has been named one of 16,000 semifinalists in the 57th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955, according to the organization’s website.
Desai now has the opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,300 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $34 million that will be offered next spring, according to GECA Principal Mary Ann Boylan. She said the nationwide pool of semifinalists represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, and includes the highest scoring entrants in each state.
To be considered for an NMSC award, Boylan said semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. This includes having an outstanding academic record throughout high school, being endorsed and recommended by the high school principal, and earning SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying PSAT test.
The semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student’s essay and information about the participation and leadership in school and community activities, Boylan added.
Boylan said more than half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, along with a Merit Scholar title.
“GECA staff, students and parents are proud of our GECA student,” she said.
