Kicking off the year, seniors Lila Harper, Simrit Kukreja, and Jianing Huang qualified as National Merit Semifinalists, an honor awarded to high-achieving students based on their performance on the PSAT taken during their sophomore and junior years.
This year, only 17,000 high school students qualified as semifinalists.
For all three, the recognition came as both a surprise and a validation of their years of work.
“I thought I was in trouble. But then once we got there and sat down with Mr. Pominville, and he told us the news, I was so excited. I wasn’t expecting it at all, and I was just shocked that I got to be part of something so important,” semifinalist Lila Harper said.
“To me, it’s really a representation of how hard I’ve worked in school these years because, even though I didn’t study for the test itself, I feel like my knowledge and ability are really a culmination of all the hard work I’ve put in. And so I think it’s a good representation of me as a student.”
For Kukreja, the recognition showed the dedication behind his academic journey.
“I think it’s a reflection of the work I’ve put in, but besides that, it’s another step in the journey,” semifinalist Simrit Kukreja said.
Looking ahead, Kukreja hopes the honor will open doors for future opportunities.
“If I can get some scholarships out of it, that’d be great,” Kukreja said. “Hopefully it’ll help me out financially.”
Fellow semifinalist Jianing Huang expressed a similarly modest reaction.
“I’m glad to have received the honor and I’m proud of what I’ve done, but really it doesn’t really change my goals,” Huang said.
Huang believes balancing academics and extracurriculars came naturally to her, as most of her outside activities were already academically focused.
As preparation, Huang said her strategy to prepare for the test was straightforward.
“I took the SAT before the PSAT, so I looked at the College Board official practice tests and their website breakdown for my practice tests,” Huang said.
Despite different approaches and perspectives, they share similar commitments and goals.
“As long as you’re having fun, everything else will be so much easier,” Kukreja said.
