Skip to main content

Chester County Press

Oxford senior named National Merit Scholarship semifinalist

10/29/2014 08:36PM ● By Lev

Oxford Area High School senior Alex Coleman, pictured with principal Christopher Dormer, was recently named a semifinalist in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Oxford Area High School senior Alex Coleman, son of Linda and Howard Coleman, is a semifinalist in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program.  The approximately 16,000 National Merit Semifinalists represent the highest-scoring students in each state on last fall’s Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

In February, Semifinalists who meet academic and other requirements will be notified that they have advanced to Finalist standing. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be chosen based on their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, and honors and awards.

Alex is currently enrolled in AP courses in physics, U.S. history, English and environmental sciences, and as a junior was enrolled in AP statistics, biology, and multi-variable calculus through Johns Hopkins University's Center for Talented Youth program. Prior to that, he had also taken both AP calculus courses, AP computer science, AP European history and AP chemistry in both his freshman and sophomore years.

Alex was recently named an AP Scholar with Distinction for the second year in a row, and hopes to achieve the next level after this year. Alex is also currently taking a second online course in linear algebra through Johns Hopkins University/Center for Talented Youth.

Alex is a four-year member of the high school’s teams in the Chester County Academic Competition and the FIRST Tech Robotics Challenge. After graduation he plans to study computer science and his college choices include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology and Carnegie-Mellon University.