National Achievement Scholarship Program
The National Achievement Scholarship Program was initiated in 1964 to recognize academically promising black students throughout the nation and to provide scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding program participants.
Boise High's April Francis is one of more than 1,600 Black American high school seniors who have been designated Semifinalists in the 2014 program. To be considered for a National Achievement Scholarship, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 80 percent of Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and more than half of the Finalists will win an Achievement Scholarship award.
To advance to the Finalist level in the competition, the Semifinalist and their high school must submit a detailed scholarship application in which they provide information about the student's academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received.
Semifinalists must present a record of high academic performance throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm their Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Test (PSAT/NMSQT) performance.
More than 60,000 high school juniors from all parts of the U.S. requested consideration in the program when they took the 2012 PSAT/NMSQT. Semifinalists are designated within geographic regions and are the highest-scoring program entrants in the states that make up each region.
To date, approximately 32,700 young men and women have received Achievement Scholarship awards worth about $103 million. Learn more at
www.nationalmerit.org
