Griffin Paterson, Reporter
@GPCourant
Although more than 1.5 million juniors from more than 22,000 high schools across the country take the PSAT every year, only the top 1% of students with the highest scores become semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. This year, 10 semifinalists have been named from the class of 2015; Shaan Appel, Carsten Berger, Steven DiCarlo, Patrick Hompe, Charlie Lenihan, Veronica Ma, Katie Means, Ted O’Rourke, Sarah Owen and Charlie Sosnick. To recognize the semifinalists’ achievements, the school held a reception on Thursday, November 6th in the Wagner Room.
The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition that has been awarding academic scholarships since 1955. This year, the program is giving out 7,600 scholarships worth more than 33 million dollars to the finalists. To be recognized even as far as semifinalist is a difficult achievement, and less than the top 1% of scores are recognized as such.
Coordinator of the College and Career Center Sue Carroll commented on the students’ achievements. “All National Merit Scholars have at least one thing in common,” she said. “They are very serious students who test very well. Only a serious talent is considered for finalist status.”
Veronica Ma, one of the aforementioned semifinalists looks more modestly upon her achievement. “I’m glad I made the cut, but I don’t feel that different about anything in particular,” she said. “It’s just a PSAT grade.”
Fellow semifinalist Katie Means was also less focused on the prestigious status of the award. “I wouldn’t say it was something in the front of my mind while I was taking the PSAT,” she said. “I knew it could happen, of course, but I was more focused on doing well and less focused on the end result at the time. I just hoped my efforts would come to fruition, and it turns out they did, which feels really good.”
Senior Ted O’Rourke was also surprised to get such high recognition for his scores. “The end goal was never to get the scores I got on the PSAT, but in the end I’m happy I was able to do well on the test.”
While NCHS has ten semifinalists for the award this year and many other commended students, such success has not always been the case. “New Canaan High School has been very lucky to have so many students do well on the PSATs this year,” Ms. Carroll said. “Some years are definitely better than others.” For example, as recently as 2012 NCHS had only four semifinalists, therefore the class of 2015 represents a large improvement in test scores.
Living in Connecticut, NCHS resides in the state with the sixth highest qualification standard in the country. “Every state varies for their ‘magic number’ in what qualifies to gain recognition for the national awards,” Ms. Carroll said. “For example, a state like Iowa would have a lower standard than in Connecticut.”
To gain further recognition as a finalist the semifinalists’ academic records, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employments and previous awards received are taken under consideration, with the winners to be named in the spring of 2015.
