The University of Texas' most prestigious scholarship is moving closer to selecting its third class. From the more than 28,000 students who applied to the University, 41 finalists have been selected for the Forty Acres Scholars Program.

They're an elite bunch. They hail from six states and 16 Texas counties and have an average SAT score of 1430. This year's finalists aim to study in almost all of UT's colleges and schools, from fine arts to business, education, and engineering. They'll be in Austin from April 4-6 for Finalists' Weekend, where they'll tour campus, visit with their school or college, meet current scholars and alumni, and even see the city via the amphibious Austin Duck Tour, among other activities. The weekend will conclude with interviews that will help select the final group of scholarship recipients.

Forty Acres Scholars Program associate director Kristy Kimball says she's eagerly awaiting Finalists' Weekend. "We've been reviewing applications since January and earlier, so it will be great to finally meet the students," Kimball says. "We feel like we already know them, and we can't wait to get to know them better."

Below, meet the 2013 Forty Acres Scholars Program finalists.

Ashley Alcantara

Lamar High School

Houston, TX

Claire Creighton

Carroll Senior High School

Southlake, TX

Trey Curran

Jesuit College Preparatory School

Plano, TX

Sam Dalton

Highland Park High School

Dallas, TX

Genaro DeLeon

HM King High School

Kingsville, TX

Rachel Dick

Tanque Verde High School

Tucson, AZ

Milan Doshi

Elkins High School

Missouri City, TX

Gabriela Estrada

Business Careers High School

San Antonio, TX

Sarah Fischer

Leonardtown High School

Mechanicsville, MD

Tyler Freed

Alamo Heights Senior High School

San Antonio, TX

Connor Frew

McKinney Boyd High School

McKinney, TX

Ben Giddens

Alamo Heights Senior High School

San Antonio, TX

Jonathan Go

Wichita Collegiate School

Andover, KS

Julio Gonzalez

Pharr-San Juan-Alamo High School

McAllen, TX

Mark Gorthey

Westlake High School

Austin, TX

Madison Gove

Dickinson High School

Dickinson, TX

Nicole Grunwald

Pantego Christian Academy

Mansfield, TX

Amanda Hildebrand

Tom Clark High School

San Antonio, TX

Jacklyn Jacobe

Kinkaid School

Houston, TX

Archana Jeeji

Westwood High School

Austin, TX

Yoon Jeong

Plano West Senior High School

Farmers Branch, TX

Jennifer Knesbach

Bellaire Senior High School

Houston, TX

Gene Lewis

Robert E. Lee High School

Tyler, TX

Molly Marek

Boerne High School

Boerne, TX

Keyur Mehta

Westlake High School

Austin, TX

Christine Nott

Harlingen High School South

Harlingen, TX

Alejandra Ortega

Barbara Jordan High School for Careers

Houston, TX

Isabel Pask

Lake Highlands High School

Dallas, TX

McKay Proctor

Montgomery Bell Academy

Nashville, TN

Caroline Read

Highland Park High School

Dallas, TX

Marlene Renz

Alamo Heights Senior High School

San Antonio, TX

Ron Richard

Ridge Point High School

Missouri City, TX

Bronwyn Scott

Kingwood High School

Kingwood, TX

Kris Seavers

Ronald Reagan High School

San Antonio, TX

Cooper Simon

Central High School

Forth Worth, TX

Kate Stotesbery

Regents School of Austin

Austin, TX

Kathryn Stouffer

Highland Park High School

Dallas, TX

Scott Urbis

Los Fresnos Senior High School

Brownsville, TX

Sarah Vogts

Interlochen Arts Academy

Dakota Dunes, SD

Chris Wager

Strake Jesuit College Preparatory School

Houston, TX

Marsha Zhang

St. John's School

Houston, TX