Claremont Unified School District is proud to recognize five exceptional students who have been named Semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program:
Caleb J. Fong
Arnav N. Merla
Gabrielle Mussey
Aabhisaar A. Shrivastav
Luke I. Vinall
These distinguished seniors are among more than 16,000 students nationwide who qualified as Semifinalists by achieving top scores on the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, Semifinalists are recognized for their exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.
As Semifinalists, Caleb, Arnav, Gabrielle, Aabhisaar, and Luke now have the opportunity to continue in the competition for nearly 7,000 National Merit Scholarships worth approximately $26 million to be awarded next spring. To advance to Finalist standing, each student must submit a detailed application that highlights their academic achievements, leadership, and community involvement.
The National Merit Scholarship Program, established in 1955, has honored generations of students who demonstrate outstanding scholarship and leadership. About 95 percent of Semifinalists are expected to become Finalists, and approximately half of those will earn the title of National Merit Scholar.
We congratulate these outstanding Claremont High School seniors on this prestigious honor and wish them the very best as they continue in the competition.
