Four More APS Seniors Receive National Merit Scholarships

Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.

Four more Albuquerque Public Schools high school seniors have been named winners in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Ryan Taylor of Sandia High and Eli Echt-Wilson, Samuel Zhu, and Albert Zuo, all of La Cueva High, were awarded a $2,500 scholarship supported by the National Merit Scholarship Corp.

The four join five other APS seniors named winners of corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarships announced late last month.

Taylor plans to study sustainable energy, while Echt-Wilson and Zuo plan to study computer science or computer programming. Zhu plans to study international relations.

All the winners qualified as semifinalists based on their performance on the 2013 pre-SAT. To advance as a finalist, students must continue to have an outstanding academic record, be recommended by their school principal, and earn high SAT scores during their junior or senior year.

The students also submitted applications with essays and information about their participation in school and community activities.

Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.