Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD recognized 22 exceptional high school students on Nov. 6 for earning national recognition in the prestigious National Merit Scholarship Program. These students demonstrated remarkable academic achievement on the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT)—a rigorous PSAT exam that identifies the nation’s highest-performing high school juniors.

During its monthly Board Meeting, the district proudly announced names of 19 NMSQT Commended Scholars and three Semifinalists, who were among the top 3% and 1% of test-takers nationwide, respectively.

“The sheer number of students earning National Merit recognition—whether as a Commended Student, Semifinalist, or advancing to Finalist status—is a powerful testament to the caliber of instruction across CFBISD and the exceptional academic talent within our schools,” said Chad Hunter, CFBISD Executive Director of Advanced Academic Services.

Semifinalists now have the opportunity to submit an application to become National Merit Finalists. If selected, they will join the ranks of less than 1% of top academic students nationwide—an honor awarded to about 7,500 students each year.

“There is a lot of studying and hard work involved to get to this point,” said Sanay Tyagi, Turner High School National Merit Semifinalist. “I am proud of myself and grateful to my math teachers for helping my progress.”

The PSAT, a precursor to the SAT, measures student performance in English Language Arts and Math. With a district-wide commitment to ensuring all students are college, career, or military ready by graduation, CFBISD continues to outperform other Dallas County districts in SAT completion and success rates. The district attributes this achievement to strong instructional support and a focused effort to help every student reach their academic potential.

“These students didn’t just perform well on a single test; their scores reflect years of sustained dedication to rigorous learning—from our earliest College and Career Forward initiatives through advanced coursework in high school,” Hunter explained. “This recognition doesn’t just open doors to scholarships—it validates that our students are operating at the highest level of academic excellence.”

CFBISD proudly congratulates the following National Merit Scholars for their outstanding academic accomplishments and for representing the district with excellence.

National Merit Semifinalist Scholars