Mountain Brook High ties school record with 29 National Merit semi-finalists this year
Published: Monday, September 17, 2012, 4:52 PM Updated: Monday, September 17, 2012, 5:24 PM
MOUNTAIN BROOK, Alabama -- Mountain Brook High School has 29 seniors who have qualified as National Merit Scholar semi-finalists this year, tying a school record set in 2008, Principal Vic Wilson said.
The school reports an average of 15 semifinalists each year. Last year, there were 17.
Wilson said a variety of factors contribute to the high number of semi-finalists who qualify at Mountain Brook High. Part of the reason, said Wilson, is an early sense of familiarity with the test.
National Merit Scholars are determined by test scores on the Preliminary SAT, typically given to students in their junior year. Mountain Brook High, however, also distributes the test to sophomores, said Wilson. The goal is to help students familiarize themselves with the test before their junior year. That way, said Wilson, they have an idea about what to expect.
After the scores come back each year, Wilson said he sifts through the sophomores scores, looking for all students who scored in the 95th percentile or higher.
"I call them in and talk to them," said Wilson, "I'll let them know what kind of opportunity they have if they continue to work hard."
Only the highest scorers in the nation move on to become semi-finalists. Nationwide, semifinalists represent less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors. In 2011, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation reported 14,338 National Merit student entrants in the state of Alabama alone. A total of 208 went on to become semi-finalists.
Wilson said that preparation for the PSAT is not only a matter of distributing a practice test a year early--it begins years before that.
"We have a K-12 curriculum that is very rigorous and affords students these types of possibilities," said Wilson.
"We are thrilled every year when we learn about our finalists. These kids do very well in academics," Wilson said, "but they also do very well in extracurricular activities. You name it, they do it. I think that says a lot about them as well."
That level of success comes from a combination of support, said Wilson, who considers himself fortunate to work with teachers, parents and students at Mountain Brook High.
"We work hard to provide balance for our students," said Wilson. "It's the perfect relationship between good teaching, good parenting and good students. It's great to be around."
This year's National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalists at Mountain Brook High School are:
Sarah Bowron, Emily (Kate) Causey, Robert (Chase) Crumbaugh, Patricia (Maggie) Dodson, Colin Dorsten, Benjamin (Ben) Echols, Annabelle Friedman, Julia (Sloan) Geiss, James (Michael) Harp, Isabella Keating, James (Jay) King, Donaldson (Cameron) Lee, Matthew Leeds, Alexander (Alex) McCullumsmith, Jeremiah Mitchell, William (Wyatt) Moorer, Alexander (Alex) Oser, Ann (Kate) Perry, Margaret Pritchard, Lane Proctor, Laura Rice, Jeffrey (Jeff) Rogers, Hunter Ross, Thomas (Miller) Sisson, Philippa Straus, Paul Styslinger, Sarah-Grace Tucker, Katherine (Katie) Windle and Irene Zhang.
The school reports an average of 15 semifinalists each year. Last year, there were 17.
Wilson said a variety of factors contribute to the high number of semi-finalists who qualify at Mountain Brook High. Part of the reason, said Wilson, is an early sense of familiarity with the test.
National Merit Scholars are determined by test scores on the Preliminary SAT, typically given to students in their junior year. Mountain Brook High, however, also distributes the test to sophomores, said Wilson. The goal is to help students familiarize themselves with the test before their junior year. That way, said Wilson, they have an idea about what to expect.
After the scores come back each year, Wilson said he sifts through the sophomores scores, looking for all students who scored in the 95th percentile or higher.
"I call them in and talk to them," said Wilson, "I'll let them know what kind of opportunity they have if they continue to work hard."
Only the highest scorers in the nation move on to become semi-finalists. Nationwide, semifinalists represent less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors. In 2011, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation reported 14,338 National Merit student entrants in the state of Alabama alone. A total of 208 went on to become semi-finalists.
Wilson said that preparation for the PSAT is not only a matter of distributing a practice test a year early--it begins years before that.
"We have a K-12 curriculum that is very rigorous and affords students these types of possibilities," said Wilson.
"We are thrilled every year when we learn about our finalists. These kids do very well in academics," Wilson said, "but they also do very well in extracurricular activities. You name it, they do it. I think that says a lot about them as well."
That level of success comes from a combination of support, said Wilson, who considers himself fortunate to work with teachers, parents and students at Mountain Brook High.
"We work hard to provide balance for our students," said Wilson. "It's the perfect relationship between good teaching, good parenting and good students. It's great to be around."
This year's National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalists at Mountain Brook High School are:
Sarah Bowron, Emily (Kate) Causey, Robert (Chase) Crumbaugh, Patricia (Maggie) Dodson, Colin Dorsten, Benjamin (Ben) Echols, Annabelle Friedman, Julia (Sloan) Geiss, James (Michael) Harp, Isabella Keating, James (Jay) King, Donaldson (Cameron) Lee, Matthew Leeds, Alexander (Alex) McCullumsmith, Jeremiah Mitchell, William (Wyatt) Moorer, Alexander (Alex) Oser, Ann (Kate) Perry, Margaret Pritchard, Lane Proctor, Laura Rice, Jeffrey (Jeff) Rogers, Hunter Ross, Thomas (Miller) Sisson, Philippa Straus, Paul Styslinger, Sarah-Grace Tucker, Katherine (Katie) Windle and Irene Zhang.
