24 Georgia students awarded National Merit Scholarships

Twenty-four additional Georgia residents have been awarded National Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and universities. The recent grads join the list of 3,700 Merit Scholarships awarded by 149 colleges and universities announced in June.

College-sponsored awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship.

This final number of 2024 National Merit Scholars is nearly 7,000. The distinguished high school graduates will receive scholarships for undergraduate study worth a total of nearly $26 million. In addition to college-sponsored awards, two other types of National Merit Scholarships were offered — 2,500 National Merit $2500 Scholarships, for which all finalists competed, and about 770 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for finalists who met criteria specified by their grantor organizations.

In September 2023, more than 16,000 semifinalists were named on a state-representational basis in numbers proportional to each state’s percentage of the national total of graduating high school seniors. Semifinalists were the highest-
scoring program entrants in each state and represented less than 1% of the nation’s high school seniors.

Semifinalist had to complete write an essay, describe leadership positions and contributions in their activities, show an outstanding academic record, and receive an endorsement by a high school official. Over 15,000 attained finalist standing, and about half of the finalists were chosen to receive National Merit Scholarships.

The newly released names include:

• Gabriel M. Babb, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, National Merit University of Georgia Scholarship
• Kadrian M. Barnett, Hillgrove High School, National Merit Fordham University Scholarship
• Aaron Bhardwaj, South Forsyth High School, National Merit University of Georgia Scholarship
• Hunter J. Buchheit, Walton High School, National Merit Emory University Scholarship
• Sahil Gandhi, The Paideia School, National Merit Emory University Scholarship
• Haven A. Hardy, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, National Merit University of Georgia Scholarship
• Sahil P. Hemrajani, Chattahoochee High School, National Merit Vanderbilt University Scholarship
• Kavin S. Jasthi, South Forsyth High School, National Merit University of Georgia Scholarship
• Christian J. Mattingly, Starr’s Mill High School, National Merit University of Georgia Scholarship
• Sydney M. McCune, Mount Paran Christian School, National Merit Clemson University Scholarship
• Brandon L. Meeks, homeschool, National Merit Hillsdale College Scholarship
• Varsha Nirmal, Northview High School, National Merit Emory University Scholarship
• Mayah M. Nussbaum, Augusta Preparatory Day School, National Merit Furman University Scholarship
• Nathaniel Oh, Johns Creek High School, National Merit Emory University Scholarship
• Anti Pokharel, North Oconee High School, National Merit Emory University Scholarship
• Benjamin N. Priest, Walton High School, National Merit Northeastern University Scholarship
• Matthew Seo, Johns Creek High School, National Merit Emory University Scholarship
• Sophia B. Shi, Chamblee Charter High School, National Merit Emory University Scholarship
• Krishna S. Sripathi, Alpharetta High School, National Merit University of Georgia
• Charles B. Tharin, Richmond Hill High School, National Merit University of Georgia Scholarship
• Paul W. Trotti III, Pope High School, National Merit University of Georgia Scholarship
• Alexander J. Vaiti, Mill Creek High School, National Merit University of Georgia Scholarship
• Emma J. Webb, Walton High School, National Merit University of Georgia Scholarship
• Renee A. Zhu, Northview High School, National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship

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