Seniors Qualify for National Merit Semifinalist Program

Westside High School seniors Bridget Mizener, Andrew Mizener, Greg Tracey and Eric Lund were announced National Merit Semifinalists for this year 2015-16. They qualified for the achievement by taking the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT.) This test is taken by mainly sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school.

The test consists of math, english, and reading sections. The purpose of the PSAT is for students to get practice on taking the SAT in the future, along with qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship program. The program gives out one of three types of scholarships to students who continue to compete for it.

Four Westside students qualified as National Merit Semifinalists this year, all of them seniors. A very small percentage of students who take the test qualify, about less than 1 percent of the students nationally. 

Twins Bridget and Andrew Mizener both qualified to be semifinalists.

“Andrew [Mizener] and I have each others backs when it comes to school,” Bridget said. “My secret is I stay awake in class, I eat a balanced breakfast, I keep my room clean…that’s a lie,” Bridget said. “It’s just one of those things. Some people are good artists I’m just a good test taker.”

After qualifying as a semifinalist, the students began the process of applying to be a national merit finalist. The amount of students expected to become finalists is around 15,000. The students fill out an application online where they answer things such as what activities they participate in and they must write an essay. Results will be released in January.