Feature

Scoring high

Keshav Wagle, Co-Editor in Chief • November 9, 2017

In June of 2016, over fifty junior students from Pleasant Valley took the PSAT at the Mississippi Bend AEA center. This test is a combination of math, reading and English to help students prepare for other standardized tests such as the SAT and the ACT.

However, this is also known as the NMSQT test, which separates those who achieve highly on this test from the others. For those who score highly, they qualify to be National Merit Semi-Finalists and National Merit Commended honor students. This is a high honor which awards students scholarships to all different universities around the country.

This year, Pleasant Valley had five National Merit Semi-Finalists. These are Laura Brown, Vivek Joshi, Konnor Sommer, Vishwajit Subramanian and Sophia Xiao. These students have worked incredibly hard for their achievements, and Pleasant Valley is very proud of him. Principal Mike Zimmer is thrilled to have these five incredible students. “This year the National Merit Semi-Finalists obviously had to score incredibly high on the test, but also this year was one of the highest scores to achieve National Merit status,” says Zimmer. “We are so blessed to have these students and I am excited to see what they will accomplish in the near future.”

One particular semi-finalist, Vivek Joshi, has taken the time to talk about his experience with the test as well as what is next for him to do to achieve the status of National Merit Finalist. “The test is very similar to the SAT than anything,” says Joshi. “I think that people expecting to take the test should definitely prepare properly by doing practice tests and review different grammar concepts for the English test. As far as what comes next, I have to complete an essay as well as send SAT scores for the committee to review to see if I am qualified enough to be a National Merit Finalist!”

This accomplishment is a very high honor, and Pleasant Valley is honored to have five of these incredibly intelligent and talented students. Staff and students look forward to what these wonderful students will accomplish!

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About the Contributor

Keshav Wagle, Co-Editor in Chief

I’m Keshav Wagle and I am Co-Editor in Chief of the Spartan Shield Online! Besides being co-editor, I am Secretary of Thespian Troupe #856, Drum Major of the Spartan Marching Band, Vice President of the Pleasant Valley Math Team. In my free time, I enjoy playing piano, cello, and oboe as well as playing principal oboe in the Quad City Youth Symphony. I also enjoy watching shows like Dexter and Bojack Horseman. After high school, I plan to attend Rice University and major in Cognitive Science with and emphasis on Philosophy.