20 SHS seniors qualify for National Merit Scholarship

Every year, several students at Solon High School achieve a high-ranking score on their PSAT and  qualify for the National Merit Scholarship. This Scholarship offers $2500 to the students who score in the top 1% for the PSAT. This year, 20 SHS students have qualified as semifinalists for the scholarship.

To be nominated as a semifinalist is huge, considering only 20 out of about 400 kids at SHS get nominated each year. But to win the scholarship would be even more rewarding. SHS senior Vishal Sundaram shared that receiving the scholarship, for him, would be about a lot more than just the money.

“Though winning the scholarship would undoubtedly be rewarding, it would be solely due to the sense of accomplishment, not the monetary gain,” Sundaram said. The scholarship in itself ($2,500) is negligible in the context of the burdensome cost of higher education in the United States. By some calculations, this could cover as little as one week of classes at out-of-state private universities. However, it would feel great to be recognized for hard work and achievement.”

Sundaram is one of the 20 kids to qualify as a semifinalist. He studied and took many practice tests, so when the PSAT came around, he felt confident and prepared.

“Nerves are to be expected, they are what help you perform, but don’t let nervousness translate to excessive stress,” Sundaram said. “This can only hurt you. Get sleep the night before and remember that you are the one taking the test– the test is not taking you.”

Being well prepared for major level tests such as the PSAT is a vital necessity for performing well. Many students stated that most of the studying and practicing for the test was on their own. SHS senior Sarah Hong shared that while she did get help from SHS English teacher Nanci Bush, most of her preparation was done by herself at home.

All of the preparation and studying paid off in the end when the students qualified as semifinalists. In the country, around 16,000 kids qualified for the scholarship this year. SHS senior Kevin Tang was thrilled when he found out he was nominated as a finalist.

“It’s a surreal feeling really,” Tang said. “You see generations before you, on the wall in the auditorium. You never really see yourself there, [but] then you are, and it’s such a shock.”

Now that these 20 kids have been deemed semifinalists, their PSAT score will be evaluated with their SAT score to determine their eligibility for the scholarship.

Being nominated and having the ability to win this scholarship, some of the kids shared advice for how they scored well and what they feel will help others in the future. Tang said that his biggest piece of advice is to not stress out.

“Cramming won’t help,” Tang said. “The best thing to do is start reviewing a few months before. Always keep in mind what you learned in school, because that’s really helpful.”

Hong explained that receiving the nomination for this scholarship may be a prestigious honor, but it’s not everything. Whether a student qualifies or not will not define their high school career.
“I’m so excited to have qualified to be a semifinalist,” Hong said. “But I hope students remember that semifinalist or not, Solon High School provides plenty of opportunities for everyone to work hard and follow their passions, and that’s what will really count in the long run.”