MANASSAS, Va. — Theodore Charlton and Theodore Wehner, seniors at Osbourn High School, have been named Semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program, placing them among an academically accomplished group of students from across the nation.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®) announced the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The Semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and include the highest-scoring entrants in each state.
More than 1.2 million juniors in approximately 20,000 high schools entered the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as the initial screening for program participants.
National Merit Semifinalists who chose to continue in the competition will compete for approximately 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth about $24 million.
To advance to Finalist status, Semifinalists must complete a scholarship application with their school official that highlights their academic accomplishments, leadership and community involvement, work experience, and honors and awards. They must also receive a recommendation from a high school official, submit a detailed scholarship application and essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm their performance on the qualifying test. About 95 percent of Semifinalists are expected to advance to the Finalist level.
“We are incredibly proud to celebrate Theo and Theo for earning recognition as National Merit Semifinalists,” said Osbourn Principal Dr. Jennifer Chapman. “Their academic achievement is remarkable, but what makes us even more proud is the way they have paired that excellence with meaningful involvement in our school community. They exemplify what it means to pursue excellence both inside and outside the classroom. Apparently, this year at Osbourn, excellence has a name, and that name is Theo!”
All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from the Finalist group. There are three types of National Scholarships offered, with announcements of the winners being made in the spring of 2027.