By Keystone School
Seniors Neerja and Aadhya have been named National Merit Semifinalists, placing them among the top academic performers in the country for the Class of 2027.
The two students are among approximately 16,000 Semifinalists selected nationwide from a pool of roughly 1.3 million students who took the PSAT. Semifinalists are the highest scorers in each state and represent less than one percent of each state’s high school seniors. Both students are now eligible to compete for 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million, to be awarded next spring.
What It Takes to Become a Semifinalist
The National Merit Scholarship Program begins with the PSAT, taken by high school juniors each fall. Of the roughly 1.3 million students who take the test each year, only about 16,000 reach the Semifinalist stage. Selection is based on a student’s Selection Index score, which is calculated from the PSAT’s Reading and Writing and Math sections. Cutoff scores vary by state, and in competitive states like Texas, the threshold is high.
Reaching Semifinalist status is an accomplishment in itself. The path to Finalist — and ultimately to a scholarship — requires more. To advance, Semifinalists must maintain an outstanding academic record throughout high school, earn a strong SAT or ACT score that confirms their PSAT performance, complete a detailed application, and receive an endorsement from a school official. Neerja and Aadhya will find out in February whether they advance to Finalist standing.
A Pattern Worth Noting
This year’s announcement continues a pattern at Keystone. The school regularly produces National Merit Semifinalists and Finalists — a meaningful distinction for any K-12, and especially notable given Keystone’s small graduating class. Four members of the Class of 2026 were named National Merit Finalists, and three were named Commended Scholars. When a school with fewer than forty seniors consistently places students in the top one percent of the country on a standardized measure, it reflects something durable about the academic environment.
For families evaluating private schools in San Antonio, National Merit results are one of the clearest external benchmarks available. Unlike grades, which vary by school, or teacher recommendations, which are inherently subjective, the PSAT is a standardized measure evaluated the same way for every student in the country. A school that consistently produces Semifinalists is a school where students are being prepared at a genuinely high level.
What Comes Next
Neerja and Aadhya will learn their Finalist status in February 2027. National Merit Commended students from Keystone — those who scored just below the Semifinalist cutoff — will be announced separately in the coming weeks.
Congratulations to both students on this well-earned recognition.
If you’d like to learn more about Keystone’s academic program and what the school looks like from the inside, we’d love to have you come visit.
