14 Nicolet Students Named National Merit Semifinalists

Fourteen Nicolet seniors are semifinalists in the 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program competition; seven other seniors were named Commended Students by the Program. 

The semifinalists are: Helen Barzyk, Katherine Braun, Angela Chen, Isabelle Gill, Samuel Hallerman, Alexandra Heuer, Rachel Heuer, Benjamin Lawton, Hope Merens, Natalie Muenster, Anna Saggio, Bertrand Stone, Samuel Vuchetich, and Christopher Welker.

Commended Students are: Peri Beer, Lucas Benson, Jack Cook, Adrienne Evans, Joshua Knight, Allison Mitchell, and Amy Vanderhout.

Approximately 1.5 million high school students each year participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program, an academic scholarship competition that began in 1955. Students enter the competition by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. 

About 16,000 students, nearly one-third of the 50,000 highest scorers, qualified as semifinalists. To be considered for a National Merit Scholarship, semifinalists must advance to finalist standing in February by meeting the Program’s high academic requirements.

The remaining 34,000 high scorers were recognized as Commended Students for their exceptional academic promise.  Although Commended Students do not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, some of these students do become candidates for special scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses. A letter of commendation from the school and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which conducts the program, will be presented to these scholastically talented seniors.