Melissa High School is celebrating nine students recognized in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program, with one student recognized as a National Merit semifinalist. Each year, over 1.3 million students take the PSAT/NMSQT, and only around 50,000 of those students with the highest scores earn recognition through the program. The National Merit Scholarship is a prestigious honor awarded to high-achieving U.S. high school students who demonstrate academic excellence.
National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist:
Ananya Talluri
National Merit Scholarship Commended Students:
Shivashish Dahal
Anirbed Dutta
Sir R Kancharlapalli
Chase McGowan
Aashritha Nerella
Timothy W Quek
Jeshwin Ranjith Durai Raj
Karunya Thirumalasetty
While the Commended Scholars receive recognition for their strong scores, the Semifinalist faces additional requirements to advance toward becoming a Finalist and potentially winning a scholarship. Only around 16,000 students nationwide achieve semifinalist standing, making this a significant accomplishment.
Semifinalists represent the highest-scoring students in their state and have the opportunity to advance to Finalist standing. To continue in the competition, Ananya will complete a scholarship application, submit an essay, receive a school endorsement, and confirm her academic record and test scores. Students who advance to Finalist status may then be considered for one of the National Merit Scholarships awarded next spring.
As Ananya begins the next phase of the National Merit process, Melissa High School and the Melissa ISD community will be cheering her on with pride. Her recognition at the national level reflects her dedication, academic excellence, and hard work, as well as the support of her family, teachers, and community.
Melissa ISD congratulates these students on this outstanding accomplishment and looks forward to celebrating their continued success as they prepare for future college and career opportunities.
To learn more about the National Merit Scholarship Program and the rest of Ananya’s journey to the scholarship, please visit National Merit Scholarship Program Announcements.