Another Mount St. Mary Academy senior has been honored this month for her exceptional academic promise. Emily Roach was named a Commended Student in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. Emily joined approximately 34,000 students throughout the nation who received the distinction. Although they will not continue in the 2021 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.5 million students who entered this year’s competition by taking the PSAT qualifying test in 2019.

“Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented a spokesperson for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. “These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”

Congratulations, Emily, on your well-deserved recognition.

Mount St. Mary Academy, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, develops young women with a moral and intellectual foundation rooted in Catholic tradition. Mercy-minded and college-prepared, our students meet the future with wisdom, compassion and integrity.

Chloe Gourde ’21 has been named a Semifinalist in the 66th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. More than 1.5 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools across the country entered this year’s scholarship competition by taking the PSAT qualifying test last fall. As one of the highest-scoring entrants in Arkansas, Chloe joins the group of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists – representing less than one percent of the Class of 2021 nationwide – that has the opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million being offered next spring.

Steps in the 2021 Competition

About 15,000 seniors will be announced as Finalists in February. To advance to the finals of the scholarship program, students must show a record of consistently high academic performance and extracurricular involvement throughout high school while also earning SAT or ACT scores that confirm their earlier performances on the qualifying test. They must also write an essay and be endorsed and recommended by a high school official.

National Merit Scholarships

Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring of 2021. Every Finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational basis. About 1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 220 corporations and business organizations for Finalists who meet their specified criteria. In addition, about 180 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 4,100 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for Finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.

Congratulations to Chloe!

Mount St. Mary Academy, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, develops young women with a moral and intellectual foundation rooted in Catholic tradition. Mercy-minded and college-prepared, our students meet the future with wisdom, compassion and integrity.