Ten members of the Shady Side Academy Class of 2023 have been recognized by the 68th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Six seniors were named Semifinalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship competition. These academically talented seniors have an opportunity to compete for approximately 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. The SSA Semifinalists are:
- Ella Gardner
- Emma Gardner
- Elaine Gombos
- Michael McCoy
- Savita Thompson
- Alexander Todd
The nationwide pool of 16,000 semifinalists represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state on the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). More than 90 percent of semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half will win National Merit Scholarships. To become a finalist, a semifinalist must submit a detailed scholarship application, have an outstanding academic record, be recommended by a school official, write an essay, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm their performance on the qualifying test. Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be awarded between April and July 2023.
In addition, four SSA seniors were named Commended Students in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship program in recognition of their exceptional academic promise. Commended Students represent the remaining 34,000 of the 50,000 highest scorers on the 2021 PSAT/NMSQT. The SSA Commended Students are:
- Aidan Adams
- Cole Bennett
- Smrithi Shyam
- Hannah Song
Congratulations to all 10 members of the Class of 2023!
Learn more about the National Merit Scholarship program.
