Porter-Gaud School is pleased to announce that four seniors have been chosen as semifinalists for the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program. They are Nathan DiLisi, Allison Kulka, Owen Donahue, and Robert Wey (pictured).
“These four students exemplify the curiosity, discipline, and purpose that define Porter-Gaud. Reaching this stage while remaining so deeply invested in campus life is a true testament to their work ethic,” says D. DuBose Egleston, Jr., Head of School. “Our entire community celebrates this well-deserved milestone with them as they move into the finalist round.”
The National Merit Scholarship Program honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. More than 16,000 academically talented high school seniors across the nation will have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $24 million that will be offered next spring.
More than 1.2 million high school juniors in about 20,000 schools entered the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2025 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 1% of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.
To advance to the Finalist level, Semifinalists must fulfill several academic and application requirements. About 95% of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.