The National Merit Scholarship is a prestigious award given to students who show high academic knowledge and achievements based on their PSAT score in the 11th grade. It is given to around 8,000 students in the United States each year out of the 15,000 who qualify. Winners receive a $2,500 scholarship from the Organization. The National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, or the PSAT/NMSQT, qualifies a very small percentage of students for the Semi-finals.
One of West Potomac’s high academic students, Samuel Glassman, has qualified for the National Merit Scholarship and is competing with 181 other Fairfax County students.
Samuel has scored very exceptionally on the PSAT and SAT. During his sophomore year, he scored a 1490, when the range of the PSAT goes up to 1520. Last year during his junior year, he scored 1550, out of 1600.
Samuel Glassman, Senior, described his process of finding out that he was placed in the Semi-finals: ¨I found out in physics class, and one of my friends said that they released a list of the semi-finalists on the website, and I was on it. Then, a day or two later, they (Mr. McMahn and Ms. Statz) called me in to tell me,¨
Samuel said that he knew getting placed in the Semi-Finals was a likely chance because of his high test scores on the PSAT in his junior and sophomore years. He was surprised at being selected for the scholarship but always knew it was a possibility.
The start of senior year also means the start of thinking about colleges and majors. “I’m planning tentatively on a majority in something to do with data science and possibly minor in musical theater because those interest me,” Samuel responded when asked about what he wants to major in.
He also touched on where he sees himself at college and his thoughts. “Regarding the colleges I’ve visited, I think UVA has a pleasant atmosphere and campus. But there are also a few Ivy Leagues that I will be applying to, including Yale, Penn State, and Dartmouth. There are also non-Ivies such as Vanderbilt and CMU.”
The National Merit Program will not release the names of the qualifiers until late May through June. We wish Samuel good luck, as well as the other qualifiers.
