Think Big

“Shhhhh!” began the letter in Jenny Zhang’s hands.  A simple command, but for what reason?  She and 25 other seniors pondered this same question until they realized that this secretive letter about a mysterious pizza party meant something far more important than free food.  These 26 students were National Merit Semifinalists.  To achieve this honor, they had all scored at least a 215 of a possible 240 on the PSAT, placing them in the top one-half percent of the nation’s juniors who took the PSAT last year. 

“Initially, I was kind of surprised,” said Jenny of making it into this select group of students.  Jenny, like many of the other finalists, was concerned about being above the cutoff point which fluctuates every year.  Because of this, Jenny was particularly excited about receiving the news that she had indeed become a Semifinalist. 

For Jenny, succeeding in the difficult task of becoming a Semifinalist came from a mix of innate and acquired knowledge, along with hard work. 

“The summer previous was the time my mother was hammering into my head that I had to study for the SAT, so I suppose I was prepared for the PSAT because of that long summer of blood and glory…but not so much glory,” said Jenny.

She, like many Westlake students, took an SAT prep course.  It takes a certain type of individual, one which Westlake seems to be ripe with, to take on voluntary homework on top of a burdensome class load.  For Jenny though, it’s not only her own ambitions that drive her will to do well on standardized testing, but also her parents. 

“They make it a really big deal,” explained Jenny, “but it’s also a bit of myself as well.” 

Westlake has never before had so many National Merit Semifinalists.  It is unclear whether this above-average number comes from the senior class’s increased size or their increased intelligence; but either way, these 26 students have a seemingly bright future ahead.  Finalists, or National Merit Scholars, will be announced in February, and hopefully Westlake will have 26.  The largest pay-off for Jenny’s hard work may come if she earns a spot as one of these finalists.  And ‘pay-off’ is meant quite literally, for there are hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship money waiting for the finalists.  There is also the added benefit of looking more impressive to colleges.  Jenny is hoping to attend Columbia University in New York City, and being a Semifinalist will surely help give her application a little extra something. 

Another more personal reward for all the Semifinalists is not in the form of a check or an acceptance letter, but rather something closer to home. 

“That plaque on the wall is going to be pretty nice,” said Jenny of having her name printed on the plate of students that hangs outside the front office.  “Even if you don’t make it as a finalist, it’s a nice reward for doing well, and it feels good to be like, ‘yeah, I’m one of those people’.”