FRISCO, TX- 133 seniors in Frisco ISD were named Semifinalists for the 2025 National Merit Scholarship. Out of these 133 seniors, 23 were from Centennial. Earning such an award means a lot to many of these students. Senior, Pranali Vora, is one such student.
“When my counselor handed the official letter to me, I was so excited because my hard work [had] paid off and I [was] receiving an award that is so selective,” Vora said.
Others reacted in shock when hearing the news. One such individual was Senior Cayden Teng.
“I was very surprised and happy that I made it since I was expecting the cutoff to increase this year,” said Teng.
Many Semifinalists also greatly benefit from scholarships offered by colleges and universities by earning the Semifinalist designation. This is done by meeting the National Merit Scholarship cutoff, which changes annually, which only about the top 1% of test takers reach. Senior Parameshwar Chamarthi shared how his Semifinalist status presented him with scholarship opportunities.
“Aside from the boost in college admissions, it unlocks so many scholarships for me. As a National Merit Semifinalist, I am eligible for scholarships that let me go to schools like Texas A&M or UT Dallas for nearly free, or to schools like the University of Southern California for half-off,” Chamarthi said. “Through these scholarships, my family could save tens of thousands of dollars in tuition fees over my college years. Additionally, some honors programs have National Merit Semifinalists as a requirement.”
Schools like the University of Texas at Dallas and Texas A&M offer students who are Semifinalists and Finalists many benefits. UTD offers its Semifinalists full tuition and exemption from other fees and offers its Finalists, full tuition, all fees exempt, stipends, admittance into the honors program, and other benefits. Texas A&M is another university that offers similar benefits including guaranteed offers and opportunities to apply for more scholarship money. Corporations also contribute to the National Merit Scholarship program, awarding over $33 million to 7,600 students last year.
Many Semifinalists plan to apply to become finalists. This process involves meeting entry requirements specified in their student guide: becoming endorsed and recommended by their high school principal, keeping up academic performance (grades, course work taken and to be taken), applying before October 9, 2024, and other requirements.
To score highly enough on the PSAT to earn National Merit Semifinalist distinction, many students prepare by utilizing various resources such as practice tests and questions. Senior Ashwika Katiyar shared about her preparation process.
“I started seriously studying for the PSAT the summer before junior year, and I spent time ensuring I would get a good score. I did lots of practice questions, and I tried analyzing my weaknesses in both sections and focused on getting better at them,” Katiyar said. “I practiced with the new digital format to ensure that I was comfortable with it when the time came.”
Some CHS Semifinalists also shared tips for prospective students aiming for the Semifinals cutoff. Senior Roger Wang shared his thoughts on attitudes towards getting questions wrong.
“I often hear about how people changed their answer at the last minute or misread the question or understood the correct answer after seeing the key, and they often talk with the attitude that they deserved to get the points. I would advise against this mindset,” Wang said. “When I was practicing, I would tell myself when I got a question wrong that I deserved to get it wrong… you only get credit if you are correct. Ultimately, it’s about how you adapt to the test, not how the test caters to what’s comfortable to you,” Wang said.
