Two Frazer School students win National Merit scholarships

Press release from the Frazer School

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Bach Ngo and Michael Wei from the Frazer School have won National Merit Scholarships.

Over 1.3 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. 

To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. 

From over 16,000 Semifinalists, 15,000 advance to the Finalist level. All National Merit Scholarship winners are selected from this group of Finalists on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. 

On April 22nd, National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) released the names of the first group of winners in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Approximately 700 distinguished high school seniors have won corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards financed by about 115 corporations, company foundations, and other business organizations. Scholars were selected from students who advanced to the Finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship competition and met criteria of their scholarship sponsors. 

Bach H Ngo has been selected as a winner of the National Merit Walgreen Co. Scholarship. Bach will attend the University of Chicago starting in the Fall of 2026.

Every Finalist competes for one of 2,500 National Merit® $2500 Scholarships that are awarded on a state-representational basis. Winners are the Finalist candidates judged to have the strongest combination of academic skills and achievements, extracurricular accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

Michael Wei has been selected as a winner of the National Merit $2500 Scholarship. Michael will attend Princeton University starting in the Fall of 2026.