Two Agnes Irwin Students Named National Merit Scholars

BRYN MAWR, PA – The Agnes Irwin School has cause to celebrate. Today, two of its students were announced as National Merit Scholars.

Laura Bremer Tobar, of Berwyn, and Catherine A. de Lacoste-Azizi, of Philadelphia, were named National Merit Scholars, putting them among the small pool of 2,500 students nationwide to earn the distinction.

Tobar's probable career field is English literature while de Lacoste-Azizi's is astrophysics.

Both students earned $2,500 through the program, which entails a long and rigorous process.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition.

About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title, according to a prepared statement.

More than 1.6 million students were considered for the contest when they took the PSATs in October 2015 as juniors.

Winners are selected purely on merit, without consideration of their family financial circumstances, college choice, major, or career plans.

Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 420 business organizations and higher education institutions, according to the news release.

With reporting by Justin Heinze

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