RYE, NY (May 17, 2026) — Rye High School senior Grace Wang has been named a recipient of a National Merit $2,500 Scholarship, an academic honor awarded to approximately 2,500 students nationwide from more than 15,000 finalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.
According to the Rye City School District, Wang was selected after advancing through the National Merit Scholarship Program competition process, which began when she took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test as a junior.
The district said more than 1.3 million students entered the program, with the highest-scoring participants in each state advancing to semifinalist standing, representing less than one percent of the nation’s high school seniors.
Principal Andrew Hara praised Wang’s achievement in a statement.
“This recognition reflects not only her exceptional academic achievement, but also her dedication, intellectual curiosity and love for learning both inside and outside the classroom,” Hara said. “In addition to her academic accomplishments, Grace is kind, compassionate and deeply admired by both faculty and peers.”
According to the National Merit Scholarship Program, winners are selected from finalists who demonstrate “the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies.”
The district said selection criteria include academic records, PSAT/NMSQT scores, leadership and contributions to school activities.
Wang will attend the University of Pennsylvania in the fall, where she plans to major in neuroscience, according to the district.
This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools under the direction and editing of Robert Cox.
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