Metuchen High School Student Named 2026 National Merit Scholar

METUCHEN, NJ — Ryan Stein, a senior at Metuchen High School, has been named a 2026 National Merit Scholar, one of approximately 700 students nationwide to receive a privately endowed National Merit Scholarship in this year's competition.

Stein's award is funded by the Mary E. Beyerle Scholarship, a trust established through the estate of Mary E. Beyerle that provides Merit Scholarship awards to selected Finalists from Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Stein plans to pursue a career in environmental engineering.

The scholarship is renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study, with annual stipends ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Recipients may use the award at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.

Privately endowed National Merit Scholarships are among approximately 700 awards financed by foundations, trusts, and individual donors who have established endowments with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Scholars are selected from students who advanced to Finalist standing and met the criteria of their scholarship sponsor.

To reach Finalist standing, students must first score among the highest in their state on the 2024 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test — a threshold fewer than 1% of U.S. high school seniors meet. Semifinalists then complete a detailed application including an essay, extracurricular activities, and leadership information, and must earn SAT or ACT scores confirming their qualifying performance.

When the 2026 competition concludes, approximately 6,700 Finalists will have received National Merit Scholarships totaling nearly $24 million.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a nonprofit founded in 1955, operates the program without government assistance. Since its founding, corporate and college sponsors have committed more than $892 million to support academically talented students nationwide.

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