What are they looking for in the national merit scholarship?

So I was a national merit semifinalist, but I neglected the application to be a finalist because I didn’t think I would make it. I have decent grades but top test scores, and I thought finalist was competitive. Then I found out that something like 90% of semifinalists make finalist, so I think I would make it. I’m also way past the deadline to submit my part of the application, but according to my counselor it’s not too late.

So here’s my question. I have this essay I wrote for my British UCAS application, but it just talks about how good I am at math. It doesn’t talk about leadership or any of that stuff. If I slightly modify this essay, would it be okay, or would I get rejected for seeming too one dimensional?

@Broses , if it’s not too late, I would definitely go ahead and send this in if I were you. My daughter is a NMSF and I’ve been told that the essay isn’t strict at all. You can absolutely repurpose another essay. They pretty much want to make sure you can grammatically string some sentences together. Then, as long as you have the grades (B’s and up), recommendations from your school and an SAT confirming score, chances are you will advance to Finalist.

Just be sure to check the preview and ensure that your essay fits above the line in the allotted space. Otherwise, it will cut off and will appear that you meant to end your essay there.

Good luck!