Quinn Schulte Named 2025-2026 National Merit Semifinalist
COVINGTON, Ky. - Covington Latin School is excited to announce that Quinn Schulte has been recognized as a semifinalist in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Competition.
More than 1.3 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.
“We are extremely proud of Quinn for being named a 2026 National Merit Semifinalist. This recognition is a result of years of dedication and tremendous effort,” stated Randy Dennis, Head of School at Covington Latin School. “Quinn is a person of remarkable character, and this achievement will be one of his many well-earned accomplishments.”
NMSC is proud to announce the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit® Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring. To compete for National Merit Scholarships, Semifinalists must advance to the Finalist level of the competition by fulfilling several additional requirements. A Semifinalist can become a Finalist and compete for a Merit Scholarship award in only one program year. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and about half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.
From the approximately 16,000 semifinalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level. To become a Finalist, a Semifinalist, and an official from their school must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout their high school career, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.
Finalists will be announced in February, and all National Merit Scholarship winners for 2026 will be announced in four nationwide releases beginning in April and concluding in July.
For more information about Covington Latin School, visit www.covingtonlatin.org or call (859) 291-7044.
About the National Merit Scholarship Program: The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a private, not-for-profit organization that operates independently of government assistance, was founded in 1955 to conduct the National Merit® Scholarship Program, recognizing and honoring academically talented students in the United States. The majority of scholarships offered each year are underwritten by approximately 440 independent corporate and college sponsors, including NMSC, that share the Corporation’s goals of honoring scholastically talented youth and encouraging academic excellence at all levels of education.
About Covington Latin School: Founded in 1923, Covington Latin School (CLS) is the premier educational institution for gifted and talented students in the region. Located in Covington, Kentucky, CLS serves gifted students in grades 7-12 and provides them with an academically challenging curriculum designed to nurture intellectual curiosity and critical thinking skills. With a 100% college placement rate and a strong emphasis on service and spiritual growth, Covington Latin has been consistently ranked the Top Catholic School in Kentucky by Niche. Covington Latin students are uniquely prepared to succeed in the 21st century, both in their future professions and in service to their communities. To learn more about the school, visit covingtonlatin.org.