Darlington, SC – Trinity Collegiate
Alden Okoh-Aduako, a student at Trinity Collegiate School, has been announced as a winner of
the National Merit $2500 Scholarship. The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a
talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship
Program. Alden is the son of Dr. Samuel Aduako and Dr. Cecelia Okoh of Florence. He will be
attending Yale University in the Fall of 2024.
National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have
the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college
studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the
nation’s graduating high school seniors.
These Scholars were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school
counselors, who appraised a substantial amount of information submitted by both the Finalists
and their high schools: the academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and
grades earned; scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
(PSAT/NMSQT®); contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay
written by the Finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.
NMSC finances most of these single-payment National Merit $2500 Scholarships.
Corporations and company foundations that sponsor awards through NMSC also help underwrite
these scholarships with grants they provide in lieu of paying administrative fees. Donations made
to NMSC’s President’s Fund also provide funding for National Merit $2500 Scholarships.
Scholars may use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.
2024 National Merit Scholarship Competition
This year’s National Merit Scholarship Program began in October 2022 when high school
juniors took the PSAT/NMSQT, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. Last fall,
the highest-scoring participants in each state, representing less than one percent of the nation’s
high school seniors, were named Semifinalists on a state-representational basis. More than
16,000 Semifinalists had an opportunity to continue in the competition.
From the Semifinalist group, over 15,000 students met the very high academic standards and
other requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. By the conclusion of the
2024 program, more than 6,870 Finalists will have earned the “Merit Scholar” title and
received a total of nearly $26 million in college scholarships.
NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was founded
in 1955 specifically to conduct the National Merit Scholarship Program. The majority of
scholarships offered each year are underwritten by approximately 320 independent corporate and
college sponsors that share NMSC’s goals of honoring scholastically talented youth and
encouraging academic excellence at all levels of education.
Trinity Collegiate School is a coeducational, non-discriminatory, college-preparatory day school
serving students in grades six through twelve located in Darlington, South Carolina. The school is
dedicated to the development of every student’s intellect and character through strong academics,
athletics and a wide variety of extra-curricular activities. For more information contact April
Munn, Director of Admissions, at (843)395-9124 or amunn@trinitycollegiate.org.
