Rhinebeck High School seniors Beatrice Macdonald and Alan Raitt are among the more than 16,000 high school students from across the nation who were selected as semifinalists for the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Students are chosen as semifinalists based on their PSAT scores in their junior year. Macdonald and Raitt scored a 1,510 and 1,500, respectively. The highest score that can be attained on the PSAT is a 1,520.
Less than 1% of the nation’s high school seniors are chosen to be semifinalists.
“It’s a really great feeling,” said Macdonald. “It reflects a lot of the work I put in to try and do well in school. It’s nice to be recognized on a level outside of just your school district. It reflects what a great environment Rhinebeck is to excel beyond Rhinebeck.”
Raitt added, “It means a lot to me. Without the help I’ve gotten from my friends, my parents, I wouldn’t have been able to do this. To see the culmination of those efforts come to fruition is really nice.”
The National Merit Scholarship will require semifinalists to fulfill additional requirements to become one of the estimated 15,000 finalists. About half of the finalists will receive a National Merit Scholarship.
“This is a fitting accomplishment for these dedicated and hard-working students,” said Ed Davenport, high school principal. “My colleagues and I wish them continued success in this competition and in all of their school endeavors!”
Macdonald and Raitt are still deciding on a college. Macdonald, president of the science club and one of the founding members of the robotics club, is planning to study biochemistry, Italian and French in college.
“I’ve always been really fascinated by it,” Macdonald said of biochemistry. “Biochemistry is the best way to set myself up for lots of different types of science research and just follow what I find the most interesting. I think it’s a good way to make an impact on people.”