Seven seniors were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). They are Micah Kieckhefer, Jonah Kinsey, Ellie Lisiecki, Joshua Masslich, Anna Meuler, Ishan Patil and Elliot Wymore​​​​​​.

Patil and Wymore qualified as semi-finalists and are eligible to compete for scholarships based on their Preliminary SAT (PSAT) scores.

Approximately 50,000 testers are recognized for their scores, but only one-third are selected to continue in the program. Their qualification is based on if their score is within the top 1% of their state. National Merit then selects those students with the highest scores to move forward with the competition.

In the spring, the winners will be notified of their eligibility for any of the three categories of scholarships: National Merit scholarships, corporate-sponsored scholarships and college-sponsored scholarships. 

“I knew the score range from previous winners,” Patil said. Throughout high school he has been involved in a variety of activities. “I’m proud of the leadership activities I’m in,” he said. “It feels nice to be involved.” Patil, an aspiring physician, has applied to numerous colleges, including Harvard, Princeton and Stanford. He is also considering UW-Madison.

According to Wymore, his qualification for National Merit was unexpected. Although, he said, “Testing was on the easier side.” He is considering applying to Purdue University and to major in mathematics. He plans to become a high school teacher or a college professor.