Most high school students imagine taking the PSATs as a preparatory exam for the SATs. Although that may be the case, the PSATs open more doors than preparing students for the real deal.
The PSAT is also the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test which allows students, who have specific qualifications and an eligible PSAT score, to be qualified for various scholarship opportunities.
Three Mooretown Friends School seniors were recently named National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists.
Out of 16,000 nationwide high school seniors, Austin Harris, Andrew Jaffe and Joe Kiernan are a part of the top .5 percentile of students who took the test, a MFS said.
According to the National Merit Scholarship Program’s website, this academic competition is based on PSAT scores. To qualify for the program, each student must take the PSATs no later than the third year in high school, must be enrolled as a high school student and plan to enroll full time in college.
Approximately 50,000 students were recognized in the program, but only one-third of student entrants (16,000 students) make it through to become a semifinalist. Fifteen thousand students are notified in February that they have advanced to the finals. The boys are eagerly awaiting the final decision.
Austin, the editor in chief of the school newspaper, is applying early decision to NYU. He is looking to double major in English and film studies.
“I was honored to receive the National Merit and Achievement semifinalist,” said Austin. “The application process was sort of like a preview of what was to come for college applications.”
Joe is also looking into applying early to college. He said he is applying early action to Princeton, and wants to study history and international relations.
Eventually, Joe is looking at attending law school for corporate law.
“My interest is international relations and history. I really enjoy [my comparative government class],” Joe said.
The semifinalists have three areas of interest.
Austin’s interest is in literature; Joe’s is history and law, while Andrew’s attention is focused on the sciences.
Andrew enjoys physics. Specifically, he likes theoretical science.
He is applying to the University of Chicago, Cornell University and Carnegie Mellon University for particle physics and research.
The topics of interest may vary, but the semifinalists share bittersweet feelings about graduation day.
“I am going to miss this school,” Austin said. “I am also really excited about what’s coming next.”
Joe is not eager to leave MFS, but he said he is looking forward to college.
“I really love this school, everything about it really. But I also attended a college summer program and that definitely showed me I am ready to take the next step,” Andrew said.
All three boys have goals set, and a topic of interest in mind as their field of study. As for the Merit Scholarship Program finalist announcement, the rest of the application process is out of their control, they said.
For more information about the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit www.nationalmerit.org.
In addition to the three semifinalists, the National Merit Scholarship Program recognized eight Moorestown Friends School (MFS) seniors as Commended Scholars.
*According to Mike Schlotterbeck, MFS’s director of marketing and communications, 11 out of 71 seniors were recognized. The National Merit Scholarship Program acknowledged approximately 15 percent of MFS’s graduating class.*
