Seventeen Sycamore High School seniors scored in the top 1% of students nationwide on the PSAT, earning National Merit Semifinalist status and eligibility to compete for a share of approximately $24 million in scholarships.

The district announced the honors Tuesday, Sept. 22. A recognition event was also held at the high school to celebrate the students.

The 17 semifinalists are Sunav Adhikari, Margaret Carman, Denis Chernov, Abinav Dinesh, Micah Gastrich, John Knapschaefer, Lee Yin Leong, Kiran Makkad, Matteo Meli, Farzana Shaik, Walter Telford, Tanika Venu, Tanuja Venu, Muxiao Xiao, William York, Andrew Zhong and Maya Zilch.

All are seniors.

The students qualified based on their performance on the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). In Ohio, the Class of 2027 cutoff Selection Index score was 216, down from 219 for the Class of 2026, according to Compass Education Group.

Roughly 16,000 students across the country earned semifinalist status this year, according to Madeira City Schools, which announced its own honorees from the same program. About 95% of semifinalists are expected to advance to finalist standing, and approximately half of finalists will receive a National Merit Scholarship.

The district said the 17 students can now compete for nearly 6,700 scholarships worth approximately $24 million, to be awarded in spring 2027.

Sycamore High School serves families in Montgomery, Blue Ash and Sycamore Township across a district of 6,051 students in seven schools. U.S. News & World Report ranked the school No. 516 nationally for 2026–2027, placing it in the top 3% of nearly 18,000 public high schools evaluated. The district earned a 5-star rating on the 2025–2026 Ohio School Report Card, indicating it significantly exceeds state standards.

Semifinalists who advance to finalist status will learn the results in February 2027, with scholarship winners announced between April and July 2027.