Ryan Guy, a graduate of the local high school, is honored as a Merit Semifinalist

St. Mary’s Ryken High School proudly announced that senior Ryan Guy has been named a semifinalist for the prestigious 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. This achievement places Guy among an elite group of high school students recognized nationally for their academic excellence.

“We are incredibly proud of Ryan’s achievement as a National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalist,” said Catherine Bowes, principal of St. Mary’s Ryken. “This recognition is a testament to his hard work, dedication and academic excellence. Ryan embodies the values ​​of our school community and we are excited to see what he will accomplish in the future.”

Ryan’s recognition comes after over 1.3 million juniors from approximately 21,000 U.S. high schools were accepted into the program through taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). This test serves as a preliminary eligibility test for the program and is used to narrow the pool to those with the highest scores in each state. The national pool of semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school graduates, reflects the highest scoring participants in their respective states. The number of semifinalists selected from each state is proportional to the state’s share of graduating seniors statewide.

To advance from semifinalist to finalist, candidates must complete an extensive application process. Both the student and their high school must submit detailed documentation that includes the semifinalist’s academic achievements, involvement in school and community activities, leadership roles, employment, and honors and awards received. In addition, the student must demonstrate consistently excellent academic performance throughout high school, obtain a strong recommendation from their school, write a personal essay, and achieve SAT or ACT scores that confirm prior performance on the PSAT/NMSQT.

Ryan is now among over 16,000 semi-finalists who will compete for nomination as a finalist in early 2025, with more than 15,000 expected to advance to this stage. These finalists then compete for a series of scholarships awarded by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). Winners are selected based on their skills, achievements and potential for success in challenging academic college environments. Gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious affiliation are not considered in the selection of Merit Scholar designees in the program.

February 2025 marks the next major milestone in the program, when finalists will be notified of their acceptance. Only those who achieve finalist status may apply for the title of National Merit Scholar and be considered for one of the many scholarships awarded by the NMSC.

With a rigorous selection process and remarkable academic achievement, Ryan Guy’s recognition as a National Merit semifinalist highlights not only his individual achievements, but also the support and educational foundation that St. Mary’s Ryken provides. The school community, as well as Ryan’s family and friends, will no doubt be cheering him on as he takes the next steps in this momentous competition.

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