Rye High School seniors Zachary Choo and Vlad Moscaliuc, and Rye Neck senior Sonali Browning have been named semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program, earning recognition among a select group of academically accomplished students from across the country.
More than 1.2 million high school juniors from approximately 20,000 high schools entered the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
About 16,000 students nationwide advanced to the semifinalist stage, representing less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors.
As semifinalists, Choo, Moscaliuc, and Browning now have the opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $24 million that will be offered in the spring.
Finalists will be selected through an application process that considers their academic records, school and community involvement, leadership, honors and other accomplishments.
Last year, Rye High School had six semifinalists, and senior Grace Wang was named a recipient of a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship.
