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Twelve Seniors Earn National Merit Recognition

Twelve Bryn Mawr seniors, representing 15 percent of the Class of 2018, have been recognized as either Semifinalists or Commended Scholars in the National Merit Scholarship Program. The large number of Bryn Mawr students acknowledged is remarkable, and, as in past years, represents one of the highest percentages of both graduating seniors and girls in the state. Bryn Mawr also has the highest number of semifinalists of any girls’ school in Maryland.

Five students – Clare Booth, Myra Dada, Helen Harrington, Ye Rin Kim and Maggie Smith – have been named National Merit Semifinalists, and will continue in the competition for the 7,500 National Merit Scholarships available. Seven other students – Ellie Citron, Sophia DeVito, Margaret King, Eliza Melia, Mina Park, Serena Thaw-Poon and Emily Zhang – have been named Commended Scholars, reflecting their high achievement on the PSAT/NMSQT.

The National Merit Scholarship program is open to all high school students who complete the PSAT/NMSQT by the close of their junior year. More than 1.6 million students take the test each year. This year, the top 34,000 – only five percent of test-takers – qualified for National Merit acknowledgment. Sixty-eight percent of those students were subsequently named Commended Scholars, while the 16,000 highest-scoring students will go on to compete for scholarships as National Merit Semifinalists. According to NMSC data, the nationwide pool of semifinalists represents less than 1 percent of high school seniors.

To achieve Commended Scholar or Semifinalist status, students must meet or exceed a selection index. While the Commended Scholar selection index is the same nationwide, Semifinalist indices vary state to state, in order to allow NMSC to provide a representative sample of students. Maryland’s selection index is one of the highest in the country, providing an even greater testament to the exceptional abilities of Bryn Mawr’s Commended Scholars and Semifinalists.

“The young men and women being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented a spokesperson for NMSC. “These students represent a valuable national resource. Recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”

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