Every year, juniors across the country take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT). The PSAT serves as a practice test for the SAT and a chance to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
14 ETHS seniors have qualified as semifinalists for the 2026 program: Matisse Beretti, Ryan Cowan, Lilian DiCrescenzo, Nikolai Drobyshevsky, Adam Elgat, Tinsae Geyer, Alastair Keely-Walker, William Klearman, Griffin Lewis, Siobhan Monahan, Mary Esther Ng, Atticus Rosenback, Finch Shewfelt and Kala West.
To win the award, a student must go through several stages which include qualification, performance and submitting accomplishments.
First, a student must qualify by scoring in the top 1% of test takers in their state. Based on these scores, approximately 16,000 students are selected nationally as semifinalists. To advance, they must submit a list of accomplishments, including a high school transcript, a personal essay and a letter of recommendation. Finally, 7,600 students nationwide are chosen as National Merit award winners. Winners receive a $2,500 scholarship along with academic recognition.
Two seniors from the Class of 2024 were selected as National Merit award winners, including Anna Grigorescu. She says that while the scholarship is helpful, she has found the “reputation and the Scholar community to be even more valuable.” Through the award, she has been able to secure scholarships and an internship at Google.
One of the biggest questions surrounding the PSAT is how to prepare for it as studying can be stressful and confusing. Some students utilize practice tests, reviewing and correcting their mistakes.
Grigorescu suggests that aspiring winners should also prepare their essay well before taking the test. The window between the semifinalist announcement and the personal statement deadline is narrow, making timely submission a challenge.
With what can feel like an endless loop of assignments, finding time for personal interests can be difficult. Semifinalist Alastair Keely-Walker says he tries to stay on top of his schoolwork so he has time for the activities he enjoys.
“I try to maintain a system for doing schoolwork each year, and I make sure to keep my weekends mostly free for things I enjoy doing, although recently that time has been taken up by college applications,” said Keely-Walker.
There are many free online resources students can use to study for the PSAT.
“I studied for the SAT, and that carried over to the PSAT,” said Finch Shewfelt, one of the Class of 2026 semifinalists. “I took advantage of the SAT practice tests on Bluebook which were pretty helpful.”
The National Merit award can play a big role in the college application process, but the impact varies depending on the school and the award level.
“[Winning the award] hasn’t significantly impacted my application process,” said Keely Walker. “I’d probably apply to the same schools without the award, but it has definitely given me more confidence through both the financial benefits and the boost to my resume.”
Aside from the opportunity to be a national semifinalist, many students take the PSAT to prepare for the SAT.
“The PSAT is pretty similar to the experience of taking the SAT,” said Shewfelt. “If you plan to take the SAT, the PSAT is good practice to get comfortable with the format.”
As these PSAT National Merit semifinalists look toward their future, they will soon find out if they are finalists. The process reflects their academic achievement and commitment, while also giving them opportunities for scholarships, recognition and connections.
