Written by Staff



Oct. 8, 2014: Three Bronxville seniors have received word from high school principal Ann Meyer that they have qualified as 2015 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists.

They are George H. Grealy, Jared B. Hendrick, and Catherine A. Toal. 

The three are in a small percentage of the highest-scoring students among the approximately 1.4 million juniors who took the PSAT in October of 2013. 

Approximately 16,000 students were named as semifinalists and were chosen because of their high scores on the PSAT. Semifinalists qualify as finalists by completing the scholarship application and by meeting the various other requirements prescribed by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

An additional 34,000 students were designated as "commended students." They scored among the top 50,000 but will not continue in the scholarship competition. Bronxville's commended students this year are Sean Flanagan, Edward Forst, Ian Holland, Steven Ircha, Natalie Knight, Sally Kwok, Michael Natsch, Leila Sunier, Charles Tarry, and Morgan Taylor.

According to Anne Abbatecola, director of counseling at Bronxville High School, the names of the semifinalists and commended students are published and can be accessed by the colleges.

The Bronxville semifinalists are now busy completing requested information and will be notified in February whether they advance to the finalist level.

A press release from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation explains: "To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and his or her high school must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist's academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student's earlier performance on the qualifying test." About 15,000 of the approximately 16,000 semifinalists are expected to advance to the finalist level

The press release explains that there are three types of National Merit Scholarships that will be offered: "Every Finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational basis. About 1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 240 corporations and business organizations for Finalists who meet their specified criteria, such as children of the grantor's employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located. In addition, about 200 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 4,100 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for Finalists who will attend the sponsor institution." Winners will be announced in four news releases from April to July "and will join more than 308,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title."

Last year Bronxville had five students who qualified as semifinalists. They were Malika Laurence, Jak Magaud, Elizabeth McGough, Julia Goldman, and Kyle Swanson.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation describes its program in the press release as follows: "NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 440 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC's goals of honoring the nation's scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence."

Pictured here (L to R): National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists George H. Grealy, Catherine A. Toal, and Jared B. Hendrick.

Photo courtesy Anne Abbatecola, Director of Counseling, Bronxville High School