Less than one percent of high school seniors qualify for a National Merit Scholarship, but that didn’t stop senior Miriam Wamsley’s from studying her hardest for the PSAT.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation declared Wamsley as a National Merit Semifinalist on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The scholarship is awarded to those for scoring among the highest students in Texas on her Preliminary SAT (PSAT). Wamsley was absolutely in awe of her accomplishment, and even went back to the principal’s office after receiving the good news just to make sure it was real.
“I never expected to make it. It was crazy,” Wamsley said.
In preparation for the PSAT, Wamsley studied for hours went to PSAT Cohort Team practices, and took numerous practice tests. When being interviewed, Wamsley stressed that being knowledgeable wasn’t the only thing that mattered when it came to standardized tests.
She expressed that being successful is dependent on “your mastery of the test itself, as well as the knowledge.”
Wamsley advised anyone getting ready for standardized tests to seek help from teachers they trust, and gave a shout out to Ms. Matthews and Ms. Lorenz for their aid in her journey to becoming a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist.
As far as what’s next for Wamsley, she jokingly said that “there is now lots of paperwork to fill out,” as it is required for her to be considered a finalist.
“The good thing about this part is that about ninety percent of the semifinalists make it to be a finalist,” Wamsley said.
Wamsley explained that as long as the paperwork is filled out, grades and other test scores prove that her score on the PSAT wasn’t a fluke, she has a pretty good shot of moving forward, “which is insane” according to Wamsley.
A huge congratulations is in order for Wamsley for representing the Falcons so well. Keep an eye out to see if Wamsley advances as a finalist in the scholarship process. Best of luck to her and the eight other KISD students still in the running.