Fifteen Montgomery Bell Academy seniors were named Semifinalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Competition on Wednesday, recognizing their academic excellence and outstanding performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). 

The students were among approximately 1.4 million juniors from more than 20,000 high schools nationwide who entered the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program. Semifinalists represent less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors. 

MBA’s 2027 Semifinalists are Enno Brandes, Buck Brown, Elliot Emch, Reid Fletcher, Andrew Frech, Justin Guo, Frazier Head, Charles Hirschman, Hamp Lefler, Kevin Li, Bobby Moss, Hunter Sava, William Smithwick, Charlie Willers, and Brody Willis.

“We are incredibly proud of these young men and all they have accomplished,” Head of School Dr. William H. Daughtrey said. “This recognition reflects not only their academic ability, but also the integrity, curiosity, and resilience they bring to their work each day. They have distinguished themselves in the classroom and contributed in meaningful ways to the life of our school, and we are delighted to see their hard work recognized on a national level.”

To achieve Finalist status, Semifinalists must maintain an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a school official, submit an essay, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm their qualifying test performance. More than 15,000 Semifinalists are expected to advance to Finalist standing in February, with National Merit Scholarship winners selected from among the Finalists beginning in April.