The National Merit Scholarship Program is a prestigious academic competition in the United States that recognizes and rewards high-achieving high school students. It provides scholarships and recognition to students who excel in the Preliminary SAT exam.

Emily Lin, a senior, is the first student ever to be nominated from Heritage High School to qualify for the National Merit. She aced the PSAT/NMSQT as a junior—most students need a PSAT/NMSQT in the top one percent to qualify. 50,000 students across the United States are selected to qualify for the National Merit. Emily not only did that, but she made it into the semi-finals where only 16,000 students are picked throughout the whole US. 

When Emily was called to the office by Mr. Bradford she was astonished to know she made it into the top 1% for her PSAT/NMSQT, but she made it to the semifinals. This will open many doors for Emily as this will look good on her college applications, but it also shows how hardworking and devoted Emily is. Getting into National Merit is a huge opportunity. It’s like a golden ticket to success: colleges love this type of achievement! Congratulations on grabbing this big opportunity!