Lemont Has a Record Three Students Named as National Merit Semifinalists

Lemont High School’s Class of 2016 has produced three National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, the greatest number the school ever has had in one year. Seniors Spenser Bailey, Taylor Campos and Misbah Chagpar all earned National Merit Semifinalist honors thanks to their performance on either the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Seniors Jacob Gasienica and Clare Rachwalski also were honored by the National Merit Scholarship Program, as they were cited with National Merit Commended Students distinction.

Given to high school juniors, more than 1.5 million students took the PSAT/NMSQT in October 2014. Approximately 16,000 students are named as National Merit Scholar Semifinalists, and roughly 34,000 students are designated as Commended Students. Of those named as Semifinalists, more than 90 percent attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of those earn a National Merit Scholarship and receive Merit Scholar accolades.

As National Merit Semifinalists, Bailey, Campos and Chagpar will continue in the competition for some of the $32 million of National Merit Scholarships that will be offered in Spring 2016. To be considered for a National Merit Scholarship, semifinalists and their high schools must submit a detailed scholarship application in which they provide information about the semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, and honors and awards received.

Semifinalists will learn whether or not they will become National Merit Finalists in February 2016.

The scores compiled by Lemont High School’s five honorees ranked them among the top five percent of all U.S. students from the Class of 2016 who took the PSAT/NMSQT or the SAT last year.

Bailey, Campos and Chagpar increase Lemont’s number of National Merit Semifinalists to 10 in the last eight years. Six of the previous honorees were named National Merit Scholarship Finalists, including Jessica DeArcangelis ‘09, Michael Fischer ‘09, Therese Castrogiovanni ‘11, Rita Kuseliauskas ‘11, Kim Gannon ‘13 and Alexandra Albrecht ‘14. Diana Vera ‘15 also earned semifinalist accolades in 2014.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955. Its scholarships are underwritten by its own funds and approximately 500 business organizations and higher education institutions that share its goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.