Eight members of the Class of 2021 were recognized in the National Merit Scholarship Program for their performance on the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT), which is taken in conjunction with the PSAT during junior year.

Sam Alston, Peter Chiu, Grant D’Orsi, Sean Mullaghy, James Murrer, Stefan Premus and Eric Ticse were named national commended scholars. In 2019, over 1.5 million students entered the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the October PSAT/NMSQT. Of these students, 50,000 with the highest NMSQT Selection Index scores (calculated by doubling the sum of the Reading, Writing and Language, and Math test scores) qualify for recognition in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

These seven CBA students were in the top-five percent of all students who took the NMSQT, earning the designation of national commended scholar.

Nicholas Geissler was named a national semifinalist in the program, keeping him in the running to earn a national merit scholarship. Geissler is one of 16,000 semifinalists nationwide, which will be narrowed to 7,400 winners of the scholarship.

“We are very proud of the outstanding effort and achievement of these eight seniors,” said Associate Principal Sean Nunan. “We wish Nicholas the best of luck in his quest to earn a prestigious national merit scholarship.”

The National Merit Scholarship program began in 1955 with the stated purpose of recognizing and honoring academically students in America. The program’s mission includes both promoting a wider and deeper respect for learning in general and for exceptionally talented individuals in particular and shining a spotlight on brilliant students to encourage their pursuit of academic excellence at all levels of education.

The scholarship announcement will be released in the spring.