Dalton Public Schools -

Dalton, GA — Dalton High School is proud to announce that two of its seniors, CenCen Wan and Hope Hambrock, have been named Semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) recently revealed the names of more than 16,000 semifinalists in the prestigious competition, now in its 70th year. Wan and Hambrock now have the opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million, which will be awarded in the spring of 2025.

Both CenCen Wan and Hope Hambrock, recognized for their academic excellence, join a select group of students from across the country representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors. These talented students were selected as semifinalists based on their outstanding performance on the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).

To progress to the next phase of the competition, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements, including submitting a detailed scholarship application, providing a strong academic record, and earning SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm their previous performance. About 95 percent of semifinalists are expected to achieve Finalist standing, and roughly half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship.

The National Merit Scholarship Program was established in 1955 to identify and honor the nation’s top academic talent. Scholarships are funded by the NMSC and approximately 280 business organizations, colleges, universities, and individual donors who share the organization’s mission of promoting academic excellence.

For more information about the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit the NMSC website at www.nationalmerit.org.

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