Five academically talented students from Northwest Montana are in the running for National Merit scholarships.

Local National Merit semifinalists are Steven Allaben of Summit Preparatory School, Hunter Kauffman of Glacier High School, Sarah Moen of Lincoln County High School, Alaina Mothershead of Flathead High School and Connor Murphy, a Polson home-school student. 

They are among 49 Montana semifinalists. 

About 1.4 million juniors entered the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2013 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. 

The nationwide pool of semifinalists — approximately 16,000 students — represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors who are the highest scoring entrants in each state.

Seminfinalists have a chance to continue the competition to be considered for 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth about $33 million.

About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain “finalist standing,” and more than half of the finalists will win a scholarship. Students who achieve the finalist designation will be notified in February.

Students must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level. A semifinalist and his or her high school must submit a detailed scholarship application that includes a student’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment and honors and awards received. 

To become a finalist students must have outstanding academic records throughout high school, be recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.