Chase Renick, Murray High School senior, has been named a Finalist in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Renick was named semi-finalist in the fall with approximately 16,000 semi-finalists, and now advances to the Finalist Level with approximately 15,000 talented high school seniors. These finalists have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million offered next spring.
All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. Merit Scholar designees are chosen based on their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.
NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Over 1.5 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2019 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 one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.
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, and write an essay.
In March, NMSC will begin mailing scholarship offers to winners at their home addresses and confidential notices to their high school principals. All winners of Merit Scholarship® awards (Merit Scholar® designees) are chosen from the Finalist group based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments—without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference. A variety of information is available for NMSC selectors to evaluate: the Finalist's academic record, information about the school's curricula and grading system, two sets of test scores, the high school official's written recommendation, information about the student's activities and leadership, and the Finalist's own essay.
Four major news media announcements of Merit Scholar designees will be made by NMSC in April, May, June July. Merit Scholarship awards are of three types: NationalMerit® $2500 Scholarships, Corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards, and College-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards.
A member of the MHS Boys soccer Team, Academic Team, FBLA, and Chess Team, Renick is undecided on college choice, but wants to pursue a Mathematics degree. A member of the Murray High School 30+ Club, implemented in 2019, recognizing students who have achieved a 30 or above on the ACT, Renick is the first MHS student to score a perfect 36 since the implementation of the 30 + club. Most recently, Renick is one of three western Kentuckians named as U.S. Presidential Scholar with up to 161 scholars chosen annually.
Since 1974, Murray High School boasts 53 National Merit Finalists, and 13 National Merit Commended scholars.
Renick is the son of Dan and Angel Renick, Murray.