2026-2027 National Merit Semifinalists

Antilles School seniors Meher Makhijani '27 and Ethan Ronen '27 have been named Semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Corporation’s 2027 competition, an honor earned by less than 1% of high school seniors nationwide.

Meher and Ethan are among more than 16,000 Semifinalists selected through the 72nd annual scholarship program. More than 1.2 million juniors attending approximately 20,000 high schools entered the competition by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

“Meher and Ethan bring intellectual curiosity, discipline and a strong sense of purpose to everything they do,” Head of School Shannon Harris said. “What stands out is not simply their academic ability, but the thoughtfulness with which they approach new challenges, support the people around them, and look for ways to contribute. This recognition speaks to both what they have accomplished and the remarkable young people they are.”

Both students have long-standing interests in mathematics, including previous participation in MathCounts, but have continued to find new ways to challenge themselves academically.

Meher, who serves on the Upper School Executive Council and helps lead Girl Up, Antilles’ student-led club focused on education and advocacy around issues affecting girls and women, said she is especially proud of the ways she has contributed to the school community. Academically, studying physics has allowed her to explore “a different way of looking at math” and build upon one of her strongest interests.

Ethan, who is taking three Advanced Placement courses this year, said he is especially proud of balancing a rigorous academic schedule with maintaining strong friendships. He has also helped develop Coupons for Charity, a community fundraising initiative that supports local nonprofit organizations. Looking ahead, Ethan plans to major in applied mathematics and pursue a career in finance.

To advance to the Finalist level, Semifinalists must submit a detailed application highlighting their academic records, school and community involvement, leadership, employment, honors and awards. They must also receive a school recommendation, write an essay and earn qualifying SAT or ACT scores.

Approximately 15,000 students are expected to be named Finalists in February. Finalists will compete for about 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth approximately $24 million, with scholarship recipients announced between April and July 2027.

For more information about the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit nationalmerit.org.