PARSIPPANY — A Parsippany High School Senior has been recognized as a semifinalist in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. Lithra Sankari is among the select group of New Jersey students moving forward in the prestigious competition.
The semifinalists, announced on Wednesday, September 11, include approximately 16,000 high school seniors nationwide. These students will now compete for scholarships to be awarded next spring.
According to the National Merit Scholarship Program, about 95 percent of semifinalists are expected to advance to the finalist level, with roughly half of those finalists receiving scholarships.
The 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program began with over 1.3 million juniors from about 21,000 high schools, all of whom took the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors.
The number of semifinalists from each state is proportional to its share of the national total of graduating seniors, officials said.
To become a finalist, each semifinalist, along with their high school, must submit a detailed scholarship application outlining their academic record, participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities, employment, and any honors or awards.
Winners of the 2025 National Merit Scholarship will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July.
