Ten Seniors Earn Recognition for performance on National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
The College Board is shining a nationwide spotlight on ten members of the Archbishop Carroll High School Class of 2023 for their performance on the PSAT during their junior year of high school.
Meredith Sanders is one of approximately 16,000 students in America that has qualified as Semifinalist for her performance on the 2021 NMSQT/PSAT. The College Board will announce National Merit Scholarship Finalists in February 2023.
Dylan King, Jack Agnew, Luke Herrmann, Seth Tivakaran, and Nathan Snizik earned Commended Scholar status. Approximately 34,000 members of the Class of 2023 earned this award nationally.
Sydney Ramsey, Tammi James, Mia Harrison, and Cody Bryant were chosen by the College Board for National Recognition Programs. These National Recognition Programs grant underrepresented students with academic honors that can be included on college and scholarship applications and connect students with universities across the country, helping them meaningfully connect to colleges and stand out during the admissions process. Colleges and scholarship programs identify students awarded National African American, Hispanic, Indigenous and/or Rural/Small Town Recognition through College Board’s Student Search Service.
Four seniors recognized as National Merit Scholarship Commended Students
Four members of the Carroll High School Class of 2022 added their names to the list of Patriots who earned recognition in the National Merit Scholarship program.
Vivian Dao, Claire LaMelle, Shannon McIntyre, and Max Weitz were named Commended Students by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) and received a Letter of Commendation in honor of this accomplishment. The NMSC honored approximately 34,000 high school seniors nationwide with this distinction, and these students placed in the top 50,000 of students who entered the 2022 National Merit Scholarship competition by taking the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
Including these four students, Carroll High School has educated 109 Patriots who earned distinction as National Merit Scholarship Finalists, Semifinalists, or Commended Students since 2008.
"Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success," the NMSC said in a release. "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 education excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their education opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success."
Two Carroll Seniors Earn National Merit Scholarship Finalist Distinction
Both Carroll High School seniors who were named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists in September 2020 have earned the distinction of National Merit Scholarship Finalist for the Class of 2021. The College Board selected Cameron Neidhard (Riverside resident, St. Helen School alumnus) and Josephine Rose (Xenia resident, St. Luke School alumna) based on their outstanding scores on the 2019 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualification Test.
According to the College Board, approximately 1.5 million students take the PSAT in their junior year of high school. Of these juniors, about 16,000 students (approximately 1%) qualify as Semifinalists. This group is narrowed down to 15,000 who become Finalists. Of this group, about 8,000 are awarded scholarships.
“We are so proud that our two previously announced Semifinalists Cameron Neidhard and Josie Rose have now been named Finalists for the National Merit Scholarship award," Dean of Academics Jill Kilby said. “To have two students place in the top 1% in a single year is a great accomplishment. Their achievement is a testament to their hard work, supportive families, and excellent preparation from teachers not only in high school, but in grade school as well!”
Cameron plans to pursue a degree in either biomedical engineering or neuroscience to become a neurosurgeon. His advice to younger students is, “Make sure to utilize every opportunity that comes your way, even if the chances for success are against you. With that, you can learn quite a lot even if you do not succeed.”
Josie plans to study physics in college and research elementary particles. Her advice to younger students is, “Make peace with yourself that you can’t always do everything 1oo percent and embrace being bad at new things. The more you try to impress people, the less you really impress them.”
Dating back to the Class of 2011, 24 Carroll High School students have earned the distinction of National Merit Scholarship Finalist.
Two Carroll seniors named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
We are very proud of these outstanding scholars. There are 1.5 million students that take the PSAT test each year. To have multiple students place in the top 1% in a single year is extraordinary. Their achievement is a testament to their hard work, supportive families, and excellent preparation from teachers not only in high school, but in grade school as well. I have no doubt that Josie and Cameron will be highly successful in any path they choose in life.
-Principal Matthew Sableski '91
Carroll High School seniors Josie Rose and Cameron Neidhard earned distinction as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, adding to the list of Patriot scholars who have placed among the nation’s top students. This test determines NMS honorees in addition to preparing high school students for college entrance tests and demonstrating their college readiness.
- These students gained this recognition by achieving at least a 215 selection index on the College Board’s 2019 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualification Test. The highest possible selection index is 228.
- Carroll High School has the most NMS Semifinalists of any Catholic high school in Montgomery County.
- A total of 681 students from 188 high schools in Ohio were named NMS Semifinalists.
- 14 Carroll High School students have been recognized in the NMS competition as Semifinalists or Commended Scholars since 2017.