Congrats to Sycamore High School senior Daniel Saylor, who was recently named a National Merit Scholarship finalist.
Daniel was among the top 1 percent of 2020 U.S. high school seniors to achieve semifinalist distinction in September 2019.
Of the 16,000 students selected nationwide as semifinalists, 90 percent (roughly 15,000) were chosen to be finalists. They are eligible to vie for about 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth approximately $31 million that will be announced beginning in April.
To become a finalist, semifinalists must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, receive an endorsement/recommendation from their high school principal and earn SAT scores that confirm their previous test performances.
Semifinalists must also submit an essay and detailed application, which demonstrate their participation and leadership in their schools and communities.
Daniel, who made a 35 on the ACT, plans to attend the University of Alabama-Huntsville, where he will study engineering and play basketball.