What are the most merit scholarships available for high school students?

I'm looking into scholarships that are based on merit for when I apply to college. What are some of the most prestigious or well-known merit scholarships I should be aware of?

There are numerous well-known merit scholarships available for high school students. When it comes to "most prestigious", here are a few you might want to explore:

1. The National Merit Scholarship: This scholarship starts with the PSAT/NMSQT in your junior year. High-scoring students are deemed "semifinalists" and then must submit an application to become a "finalist" and eventually a "scholar."

2. The Coca-Cola Scholars Program: This is a highly competitive program that awards 150 scholarships of $20,000 each year to students based on leadership, achievement, and service.

3. The Gates Scholarship: Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this scholarship covers the full cost of attendance that isn’t already covered by other financial aid for Pell-eligible students. It's not solely merit-based but has a strong merit component.

4. Regeneron Science Talent Search: For science-minded students, this is one of the most prestigious pre-college science competitions in the country, providing 40 finalists with a significant scholarship - $25,000 at minimum.

5. The Siemens Competition: This is another top science award for high school students. Winning the competition comes with scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $100,000.

6. The Flinn Scholarship: Specifically for Arizona residents, this scholarship covers tuition at any Arizona public university, room and board, support for study abroad, and a mentorship program.

7. The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program: It provides full tuition, room and board, and many unique resources for scholars at Duke and UNC Chapel Hill.

8. Coolidge Scholarship: A full-ride scholarship for academic and leadership excellence that covers a scholar's tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years.

9. The Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program: It awards scholarships to Notre Dame students based on leadership, moral character, and scholarship. It's not just financial aid; it also involves a leadership development program.

10. The Stamps Scholars programs: These scholarships are offered at various universities and reward exceptional students with a generous financial package and additional enrichment funds for things like study abroad or internships.

Each of these scholarships has their respective deadlines and specific eligibility criteria. Start with these and then seek out more regionally available scholarships or those specifically offered by the colleges you're interested in. There are numerous merit-based scholarships out there, it's just a matter of investing the time to find and apply for them. Best of luck with your scholarship search!