Maxwell a semifinalist for Merit Scholarship
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As one of 16,000 semifinalists from every state in the nation, he now has the opportunity to compete for one of 8,000 Merit Scholarships worth a combined $32 million.
To qualify as a semifinalist, Maxwell first had to take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of the more than 1.3 million program entrants.
The nationwide pool of semifinalists, which represents less than 1 percent of U.S. high school students, is made up of the highest scoring entrants in each state.
In order to become a finalist, the semifinalists must show a record of very high academic performance, be endorsed and recommended by their principals, and earn SAT scores to confirm their earlier qualifying test performances.
Additionally, Maxwell and his fellow semifinalists must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes a self-descriptive essay and information about the semifinalist’s participation and leadership in school and community activities.
Approximately 90 percent of semifinalists will attain finalist status, 50 percent of whom will earn Merit scholarships. Scholarship winners will be announced beginning in April.
One of the top students at the high school, Maxwell, school officials say, should fare well in the scholarship competition.
In addition to maintaining top grades and taking nearly every advanced placement class offered by the school, he is also captain of the quiz bowl team, treasurer of the National Honor Society, a member of the student council and is active in the youth group at Northside Baptist Church.
After graduation in May, Maxwell is leaning toward attending either Rhodes College or Georgetown University and pursuing a liberal arts degree.