Georgetown HS Student Named Semifinalist in 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program

Georgetown High School (GHS) Senior Gavin Thompson has been named a 2026 National Merit Semifinalist. On Wednesday, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists. 

Over 1.3 million juniors across the nation entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program in the fall of 2024 by taking the Preliminary SAT(PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The highest-scoring entrants in each state earn a spot in the Semifinalist pool, representing less than one percent of seniors in the nation.

Thompson now has an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million. Winners will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April 2026.

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To enter the National Merit Scholarship Program for 2027, students must take the PSAT/NMSQT in October 2025 and meet other program entry requirements. You can learn more at nationalmerit.org. 

Georgetown ISD will offer PSAT testing to all GISD students in 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th grade in October 2025. Learn more on our website.