Three seniors became finalists for the National Merit Scholarship competition, expanding their opportunities for the future and representing the school well.
Seniors Sarah Derango, Emily Ehret and Morgan Schneider all advanced to the finalist level of the NMSQT competition after receiving some of the highest scores of all of the seniors who took the PSAT last year.
“Qualifying meant that I scored within the top one percent of high school juniors who took the test last year,” Derango said.
Last year, the three seniors took the test. They also took the same test the previous year as sophomores in preparation for the NMSQT junior year.
“I went into the test already knowing what to expect and what was expected of me,” Schneider said.
The competition level was very high, but the girls worked hard to qualify by studying sophomore year and junior year. Because of their placement, they may qualify for scholarships.
“I‘m applying to University of Chicago, and there are special scholarships for national merit scholars, so I’m looking to get as many opportunities as I can,” Ehret said.
Once the girls became finalists, they had to submit an online application in order to advance to the next round.
“I received a letter from the University of Oklahoma that offered a full ride, and at that point, I realized how much of my education (and future debt) could ride on that finalist status,” Schneider said.