Seniors Eric Yang and Albert Zhu qualified for a prestigious competition to earn the title of finalist for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a recognition based on their outstanding PSAT scores. This accomplishment places them within the top academic students in the nation.
Beyond excelling in their PSAT performance, both Yang and Zhu are part of competitions like Science Bowl and Math League where they challenge themselves outside of the classroom, creating well- rounded students as well as helping them with questions on the PSAT.
Last year, Zhu was on the team that won the National Science Bowl, which is an incredible achievement to receive.
“My teachers have taught me really well, and they have done a lot to make sure that me and others can succeed,” Zhu said, mentioning the support of AP Biology teacher Kip Kotzan.
Finished with the first round in the competition, Yang and Zhu move forward to the next round where they could become finalists to potentially earn scholarships to support their college education.
“Once you become a finalist, it could open up a whole array of opportunities that you could potentially get some scholarships through in recognition,” ELHS counselor Nadine Barnes said.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation is a prestigious academic competition that is based off of PSAT/NMSQT scores. Each year, around 16,000 semifinalists are selected from over 1.5 million students. Yang and Zhu’s scores have driven them into this competitive group, advancing to potential scholarships and college opportunities.
Looking ahead, Zhu is hoping to pursue engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, while Yang aspires to enter the field of medicine, though he is still undecided on a college.
“It’s nice to help others and it’s nice to give back to the community that brought you here,” Yang said.
Yang and Zhu’s achievements reflect the academic excellence at ELHS and stand as an inspiration for their peers. As they move on toward college and their careers, their academic success as semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Corporation serve as reminders that dedication and hard work can lead to incredible opportunities.
