Orange, CA – September 26, 2017 – Dr. Miller of Villa Park High School would like to announce that Joseph Niizawa has been named a Semifinalist in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Competition. Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 63rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered next spring. 

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and about half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title. About 1.6 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®). 

Additionally, Villa Park High School would like to announce that 12 scholastically talented seniors have been named as Commended Students in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.6 million students who entered the 2018 competition by taking the 20916 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).