FCPS has released its annual list of National Merit Scholars Semi-Finalists, the majority of whom go on to become National Merit Scholars. They represent less than 1% of high school students in each state and are eligible for National Merit Scholarships of $2,500. [read_more] This year Fairfax county had 205 qualify for semi-finalist status with 129 of those being from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Â Other high schools had as many as 10 and as few as one. Three high schools, Annandale, Stuart, and Hayfield had no qualifying students.
Last year Loudoun county public schools had 40 students who qualified as National Merit Scholar semi-finalists, the majority of them being TJHSST students.  Loudoun has not yet released their list for this year.  Arlington county has not released their numbers for this year but last year they had 18 qualifying students.  Prince William County had nine students qualifying this year. Since Prince William county is one-third the size of Fairfax one would expect them to have about 65 students who qualify.  Strange that they are so far off from Fairfax and Loudoun.  Even Arlington county, which is half the size of Prince William county, has twice the number of qualifying students.
