At Grayslake North, Eugene Kang and Aidan Kim have qualified as National Merit Semifinalists while Victor Martinez, Jayashri Madan, and Rachel Garich have qualified as Commended Students. Leading up to the PSAT, the students invested months into preparing for the test.

“I won the award for having a high enough score on the PSAT/NMSQT that juniors at North take during the fall. I did one of the four sections of the SAT a week for about two months prior to the test,” said senior Eugene Kang, a semifinalist.

Earning the title of National Merit Semifinalist not only brings recognition but also opens doors to significant financial opportunities at universities. Many higher education institutions actively seek out and value these accomplished students, often offering financial aid. By achieving this status, students position themselves for a competitive edge in the college application process, increasing the likelihood of securing scholarships and grants that can really help with the cost of college.

“Some universities will give me financial aid for being a semifinalist, and I also have the opportunity to become a National Merit Finalist. It also looks good on college applications. If I become a finalist, I will have access to various scholarships like corporate or college-sponsored scholarships,” Kang said.

Despite not securing the title of National Merit Semifinalist, the Commended Students have earned their own spotlight by having some of the highest scores on the PSAT.

“I received the honor of becoming a Commended Student. I became a Commended Student based on my PSAT score that I took as a junior. I cannot receive a scholarship directly from this. Even though I do not receive any scholarship, it is still something that I put on my college applications and my resume,” said senior Rachel Garich.

Their high PSAT scores reflect a lot of hard work and dedication to wanting higher education. The students show much pride in this academic achievement.

“I was proud that I was able to receive this award as well. I plan to attend college, study in the STEM field, and do research,” said senior Jayashri Madan.