Flagler Palm Coast High School senior Jackson Magee has been named a Semifinalist in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program, making him the only student from Flagler County to earn the distinction this year. Magee joins more than 16,000 academically accomplished high school seniors nationwide who now have the opportunity to advance to Finalist status and compete for approximately 6,700 National Merit Scholarships expected to be awarded in spring 2027.
A Flagler Palm Coast High School student is representing Flagler County on the national academic stage.
Jackson Magee has been named a Semifinalist in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program, according to Flagler Schools. He is Flagler County’s only National Merit Semifinalist announced for this year’s competition.
The recognition places Magee among more than 16,000 high school seniors nationwide selected as Semifinalists in the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors.
The process began well before the Semifinalists were announced.
More than 1.2 million juniors attending approximately 20,000 high schools entered the 2027 competition by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, commonly known as the PSAT/NMSQT.
The test serves as the initial screening process for the scholarship program.
Semifinalists are selected from among the highest-scoring students in each state. The number chosen from each state is based on that state's share of the nation's graduating high school seniors.
That makes Magee's selection particularly notable locally: out of students throughout Flagler County, he is the county's sole Semifinalist in the 2027 program.
Being named a Semifinalist is not the end of the process.
Students hoping to advance must meet additional academic and application requirements. According to the National Merit Scholarship Program, Semifinalists must maintain a strong academic record, receive an endorsement and recommendation from a high school official, complete an essay and submit SAT or ACT scores that confirm their earlier qualifying performance.
More than 15,000 of this year's Semifinalists are expected to advance to Finalist status.
Finalist notifications are expected in February 2027.
Students who advance to Finalist status will be considered for approximately 6,700 National Merit Scholarships with a combined value of about $24 million.
Among the awards are 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships, which are awarded on a state-representational basis.
Additional scholarship opportunities are offered through participating corporations and colleges.
National Merit Scholarship winners for the 2027 competition are expected to be announced beginning in spring 2027.
Those selected will join more than 395,000 students who have earned the Merit Scholar title during the history of the program.
For Magee, the next milestone will be learning whether he advances from Semifinalist to Finalist — but his selection already puts a Flagler Palm Coast High School student among a very small percentage of graduating seniors nationwide.
Jackson Magee, a student at Flagler Palm Coast High School, was announced by Flagler Schools as Flagler County's only Semifinalist in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program.
More than 16,000 high school seniors nationwide were named Semifinalists for the 2027 competition. They represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors.
Students initially enter the competition through the PSAT/NMSQT. Semifinalists are selected from among the highest-scoring eligible students in each state, with additional requirements necessary to advance to Finalist status.
No. Magee has been named a Semifinalist. More than 15,000 Semifinalists are expected to advance to Finalist status, and scholarship recipients will ultimately be selected from the Finalist group.
Students advancing to Finalist status are expected to be notified in February 2027.
Approximately 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth a combined $24 million are expected to be offered during the 2027 competition.
Scholarship winners are expected to be announced beginning in spring 2027.