<p>I’m pretty sure all you have to do to become a finalist is be a semifinalist and fill out all the forms. Getting the National Merit $2500 scholarship is much more difficult. I was the only one out of the three finalists at my high school to get one, so I can’t say what they look for in general. You’ll still have a chance at school-specific scholarships though as just a finalist, like an almost full ride from Auburn.</p>