Altamont School senior wins a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship

Hannah Ashraf, who recently graduated from The Altamont School, was awarded a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship in May, according to a news release from the school.

Ashraf was named a National Merit Finalist earlier this spring, along with four other students at The Altamont School: Lilla Carroll, Robert Pritchard, Tyler Walley and Maaz Zuberi.

National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills,and potential for success in rigorous college studies, according to the release.

They are drawn from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding finalists in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program.

The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of graduating high school seniors.

The winners were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors.

In making its selections, the committee looks at information submitted both by the finalists and their high schools.

This information includes a student’s academic record, including the difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from two standardized tests; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the student; and a recommendation written by a high school official.

By the conclusion of the 2021 program, about 7,500 finalists will have earned the “Merit Scholar” title and received a total of over $31 million in college scholarships, the release states.