New Rochelle High School senior Justin Binu Daniel has been named a semifinalist in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship competition, placing him among the nation’s top academic achievers.
Daniel was among 16,000 semifinalists out of 1.2 million high school juniors who entered the 2027 scholarship contest by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for about 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth approximately $24 million that will be offered next spring.
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.