Five seniors named National Merit semifinalists
Sara Javerbaum, Staff Writer
On Sept. 15, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) released its list of nearly 16,000 semifinalists, five of whom are Samo students: Casey Fienberg (’22), Eve Davidson (’22), Jacob Kim (’22), Layna Ogawa (’22) and Max Forsell (’22).
This year is the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, which highlights less than the top one percent of seniors in the nation. Around 47 percent of the semifinalists will receive the $2,500 National Merit Scholarship. The finalists will be announced on May 11, 2022.
To qualify for the program, Semifinalists were required to take the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The 2020 test consisted of four sections: Reading, Writing & Language, Math (without a calculator) and Math (with calculator). The minimum score one must earn to be considered for the scholarship in California fluctuates every year, but is around 1450/1600.
Students are not required to study for the PSAT; colleges don’t have access to these scores. However, according to Davidson, studying is the best way to calm one’s nerves on test day.
“Do everything you can to feel prepared so that even if you’re anxious you can reassure yourself that you’re ready… It was a matter of like, I got some tutoring with my friend and just took practice tests every weekend, February through March,” Davidson said.
While Ogawa is grateful for the chance to win a scholarship, she also acknowledges that standardized tests are not the only measure of intelligence and are far from the only thing college admissions officers look for.
“As much as test scores and the SAT are important for students, I think it’s even more important to have good extracurriculars and actually perform well in school...I also think it’s better to just grow as a person,” Ogawa said.
In a country where SAT scores seem to be losing their value (many colleges are opting for a test-blind or test-optional approach), Fienberg sees the benefit of a national test with a reasonably level playing field.
“I think everyone agrees that the SAT is not a good measure of future success, how smart you are or how prepared you are for college. But, it’s also one of the only parts of the college application process that is the same for everybody...It’s at least nice to know that everybody is taking the same test.” Fienberg reflected.
The five Samo students chosen as Semifinalists will now be reviewed by the NMSC to decide who deserves to be a finalist. The prizes available to the accomplished students are National Merit, college, and corporate sponsored scholarships. Out of the nearly 16,000 students chosen as semifinalists, five are Samo students. Around 47 percent of the semifinalists will receive the $2,500 National Merit Scholarship. The finalists will be announced on May 11, 2022.
