Six Howard County seniors have been chosen as National Merit Scholar finalists for 2010.

Allison Schten from Kokomo High School and Anthony Bednarz, Molly Lauterbach, Nathan Lyons, Adam Ripley and Corinne Soutar from Western High School are among the finalists for the scholarship awards. Winners will be announced starting in April.

About 1.5 million students entered the competition by taking the 2008 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, which represents fewer than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state.

The finalists have an opportunity to continue in the competition for about 8,200 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $36 million. According to the College Board, about half the finalists will become National Merit Scholars.

To become a finalist, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal and earn SAT scores that confirm the previous test scores. Each one also must complete a detailed scholarship application.

Schten, daughter of Karl and Barbara Schten, said she’s waiting to see what kind of scholarships are available before making her college choices. She’s been accepted at Indiana University and the University of Chicago, and is waiting to hear from New York University.

She may study economics, to either go into economic law or earn a doctorate in economics.

Schten said her parents are hoping she earns a National Merit Scholarship to help with college expenses, but “at least being able to put National Merit finalist on scholarship applications will help.”

She’s participated in Science Olympiad, debate and soccer, and is editor of the Kokomo High School yearbook.

Lauterbach, 18, daughter of Stew and Judy Lauterbach, plans to attend Indiana University Bloomington. She plans an exploratory major, possibly studying “something related to linguistics, French or Spanish.”

“One of my goals in life is to be fluent in French,” she said. She is in French 5 and Spanish 1.

She’s most looking forward to “the diversity and taking more specific courses” at IU.

Lauterbach said she’s undecided on a career.

She was not surprised there were five National Merit finalists in her graduating class.

“I think we have a really competitive class. Just to be in the top 10 of our class you have to have straight A’s, no A-minuses.”

She thinks her school’s switch from trimesters to semesters helped her do well on the test.

She takes violin lessons and participates in PantherTech and jazz choir.

Ripley, 17, son of Gene and Sally Ripley, is undecided on a college, but wants to study psychology. He plans to earn a doctorate in psychology and go into private practice.

He said he was pleased to be a National Merit finalist.

“I thought it was a neat experience. It’s opened a lot of doors for me as far as scholarship money.”

He is involved in marching band, concert band, pep band, concert choir and jazz choir, and is a volunteer tutor at Bon Air Middle School and Washington Elementary.

Soutar, daughter of Larry and Liz Soutar, said her goal when she took the PSAT was just to practice for her SAT, rather than qualifying for National Merit scholarships. She called her finalist status “a pleasant surprise.” She thinks keeping up with her studies helped her do well, and said she did not do any extra preparation for the test.

She plans to study biology at Purdue University.

She has been involved in PantherTech and National Honor Society and has a job at Grindstone Charley’s.

Lyons, son of Mark and Jennifer Lyons, said he was excited to be a finalist.

“It’s a big honor because there are so few students recognized for it,” he said. Like his classmates, he was not surprised there were five finalists in his class.

“It’s a pretty good class, definitely a lot of intelligent people.”

He plans to study economics at Purdue University, with plans to go to law school.

Bednarz could not be reached for comment.

• Danielle Rush is the Kokomo Tribune education reporter. She can be reached at 765-454-8585 or danielle.rush@kokomotribune.com.