After hours of preparation and studying, five seniors scored high enough on their PSAT/NSMQT tests as juniors to be named Commended Students in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program. 

Trevor Ferril, Sierra Miller, Conner Parker, Chiles Spencer and Meagan Taylor have been named Commended Students in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program.  Students with the highest PSAT/NSMQT Selection Index scores qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program.  Commended scholars do not move on in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, but they do become candidates for Special Scholarships that corporations and businesses sponsor.   

 “It’s great because there are 50,000 out of 1.5 million that get to this point in the contest,” Ferril said.  “Just to have made it to this stage is pretty big.”

The PSAT/NMSQT is administered to over 1.5 million annually, and out of these students, 50,000 are chosen to be recognized in the National Merit Scholarship program. Two-thirds of these students are named Commended Students, while one-third move on to be named Semifinalists.     

“It’s a pretty awesome recognition to be selected out of so many applicants,” Parker said. 

According to the National Merit Scholar Corporation’s website, the NMSC’s goals are to identify and honor academically talented U.S. high school students, stimulate increased support for their education, and provide efficient and effective scholarship program management for organizations that wish to sponsor college undergraduate scholarships.

“This will definitely help with getting scholarships to pretty much any school I decide to go to,” Parker said.  “That opens up so many possibilities to more expensive schools.”