26 Allen High School Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists

Allen High School recently announced that 26 seniors have been named Semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. These students are among about 16,000 Semifinalists nationwide who now have the chance to compete for over 7,500 scholarships valued at nearly $33 million.

The recognition places Allen High School’s honorees in the top one percent of U.S. high school seniors based on their performance on the 2024 PSAT/NMSQT. In Texas, students needed a selection index score of 222 or higher to qualify, with just 1,673 students statewide meeting the threshold.

“These students are truly exceptional and deserve to be celebrated,” said José Salas, Advanced Academics Coordinator at Allen High School. “Their hard work, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to academic excellence are what earned them this national recognition.”

To advance to the Finalist level, Semifinalists must submit a detailed application, draft a personal essay, and demonstrate a strong academic record supported by a school official’s recommendation. Finalists will be announced in February 2026.

The National Merit Scholarship Program, founded in 1955, highlights students who demonstrate high academic potential and provides scholarship opportunities that support college and career success.

Allen ISD congratulates the following students for achieving this honor:

  • Jake W. Bailey
  • Aarnav Bansal
  • Ashley Chen
  • Mark G. Church
  • Andrew P. Dai
  • Aaditya Ghosh
  • Ektoras Huang
  • Allison J. Hughes
  • Kingston A. Huynh
  • Sebin M. James
  • Zohaib S. Khan
  • Manu Kutagula
  • Advaiya Lad
  • Adrian C. Lin
  • Joel T. Mathew
  • Vedant Mohapatra
  • Ramiz A. Nackvi
  • Kavela P. Putcha
  • Uzair A. Rahman
  • Aaryan P. Salunke
  • Saanavi Shah
  • Saketh Sripada
  • Alex Wang
  • Andrew C. Wang
  • Sahasra Yellepeddi
  • Chunyue Zheng

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