IUSD leads county in merit semifinalists

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has named 62 IUSD seniors as semifinalists in its prestigious 2026 program – the most of any district in Orange County.

Irvine Unified School District continues to set the pace in education. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has named 62 IUSD seniors as semifinalists in its prestigious 2026 program – the most of any district in Orange County.

These high-achieving students compete for nearly 6,930 scholarships worth about $26 million to be awarded next spring. Fewer than 1% of U.S. high school seniors earn semifinalist status, based on their performance on the PSAT/NMSQT exam.