Plano West Seniors Earn Prestigious National Merit Scholarships
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Five Plano West Senior High School students have earned one of the nation’s most prestigious academic honors, being named 2026 National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®).
Selected from a pool of more than 15,000 finalists nationwide, these students were recognized for their exceptional academic achievement, leadership, and potential for future success in higher education.
Plano ISD congratulates the following National Merit Scholarship winners from Plano West Senior High School:
- Lakshit Ahuja — Probable Career Field: Physics
- Yang Bai — Probable Career Field: Computer Science
- Rehan H. Buvvaji — Probable Career Field: Business
- Cole T. Hongkeo — Probable Career Field: Orthodontics
- Qiting Zhou — Probable Career Field: Biomedical Engineering
National Merit $2500 Scholarship recipients are chosen by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors who evaluate students on a comprehensive set of accomplishments, including academic performance, rigor of coursework, PSAT/NMSQT scores, leadership, extracurricular involvement, essays and recommendations. The scholarship program began in October 2024 when students took the PSAT/NMSQT as juniors. From more than 1.3 million entrants nationwide, fewer than one percent advanced to semifinalist standing, with approximately 15,000 students ultimately reaching finalist status.
The National Merit Scholarship Program, established in 1955, honors some of the most academically talented students in the United States and provides scholarship opportunities to support their future college studies.
As they prepare to pursue careers in fields ranging from physics and computer science to business, orthodontics and biomedical engineering, these Plano West seniors join a distinguished group of scholars whose achievements have earned national recognition. Their success reflects not only individual dedication, but also the culture of academic excellence that continues to thrive throughout Plano ISD.