$2500 National Merit Scholarship Winners for 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 1, 2008 / $2500 National Merit Scholarship Winners for
2008
Thirty-One SC high school seniors named National Merit $2,500
Scholarship winners
COLUMBIA — Thirty-one South Carolina high school seniors are in the
ranks of National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners announced by
officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in Evanston, IL.
The Palmetto State students are among some 2,500 scholarship recipients
chosen from a talent pool of approximately 15,000 finalists in the 2008
National Merit Scholarship Program.
Finalists in each state are judged to have the strongest combination of
accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college
studies. They were selected by a committee of college admissions
officers and high school counselors. Scholarship winners may use their
single-payment awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or
university.
The $2,500 scholarships go to finalists who were evaluated on their
academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and
grades earned; scores from two standardized tests; contributions and
leadership in school and community activities; an essay describing
interests and goals; and a recommendation written by their high school
official. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to
the state’s percentage of the nation’s high school graduating
seniors.
The South Carolina winners include 19 students from public high
schools, 11 from private schools and one home-schooled student.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation is a not-for-profit
organization that operates without government assistance and was founded
in 1955 specifically to conduct an annual scholarship program. The
majority of scholarships offered each year are underwritten by 500
independent corporate and college sponsors.
