Quaker Valley High School seniors Ryan Steinfurth and Henry Zutter have been named Finalists in the prestigious National Merit Scholarship Program, marking a significant academic achievement. Their selection follows a rigorous application process, which evaluated their SAT scores, academic records, essays, and letters of recommendation.
The journey to this honor began in October 2023, when Steinfurth and Zutter took the PSAT/NMSQT. Their outstanding scores placed them among the top one percent of test-takers nationwide, earning them Semifinalist status in September 2024. Now, as Finalists, they are in the running for coveted National Merit Scholarships, which will be awarded this spring.
Established in 1955, the National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes students with exceptional academic promise. Of the 1.3 million juniors who take the qualifying test each year, only about 16,000 advance to the Semifinalist round. From there, roughly 15,000 students earn Finalist status and compete for three types of scholarships: National Merit $2,500 Scholarships, Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarships, and College-Sponsored Merit Scholarships. Recipients will be announced in April, May, June, and July.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation describes the program as one that "honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies."
For more information about the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit www.nationalmerit.org.