Every September, one-third of 50,000 highest scorers get notified that they qualify as a National Merit semifinalists. This year, seniors Anish Ganti and Chloe Baba, got notified that they were semifinalists. The National Merit Scholarship program is a nationwide competition for scholarships.

“I was surprised,” Chloe Baba said. “I had been expecting to hear about it, but I hadn’t expected to be one of the semifinalists.”

The winners are chosen based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments. Their academic record and student activities are also involved in the selection process. The finalists additionally have to send in their own essay.

“I started preparation a year before,” Ganti said. “I took a lot of practice tests and I focused on what I was getting wrong, and just kept working on those mistakes.”

The reaction of the parents are always something memorable. Because they are learning their child has achieved something even above, above and beyond.

“My mom was ecstatic,” Baba said. “As soon as the news was public, she told every family member she could think of, and posted it on Facebook and Instagram.”

Colleges look for excellence in their future students, so if they have the opportunity of having National Merit finalist on their application, it’s a major honor for those students.

“There’s a lot of pressure taken off of me for college because I can get full rides,” Ganti said.

With the future coming near, students also have to focus on what they want to major in college. There are so many thing to do in college involving math, science and literature, this test will help you realize what you’re strong in.

“I plan on majoring in biomedical engineering, doing pre med, and going to med school,” Ganti said.
The PSAT is something many students take, not knowing what’s in store. So when they get opportunities like this, their future becomes less stressful.