10 AISD Students Earn National Recognition for PSAT Scores, NMSC Names 1 Semifinalist

More than 1.5 million students enter the National Merit® Scholarship Program each year.

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[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]C[/dropcap]ongratulations to 10 Aldine ISD seniors. They each received notification that they earned national recognition based on their PSAT scores.

The Scholars are from Aldine, Carver, Davis and Victory Early College High Schools. They are among the more than 1.5 million juniors who entered the 2016 [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]National Merit® program. They took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit® Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®). The exam serves as an initial screen of program entrants.

Some 50,000 with the highest PSAT/NMSQT® Selection Index scores (critical reading + mathematics + writing skills scores) qualify for recognition.

In the fall, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) notified these high scorers. The notification letters went to their schools. The entrants qualified as either a Commended Student or Semifinalist.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation named Ruben Oblitas from Victory Early College a Semifinalist. He is among the 16,000 student Semifinalists. They are competing for one of more than 7,400 NMSQT® scholarships in the spring. The scholarships are worth more than $32 million.

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Aldine ISD offers PSAT Boot Camps to help students better prepare for the exam.

The boot camps offer dynamic teaching and provide students with unique test-taking strategies. Ruben Oblitas took part in the PSAT Boot Camp.

Alessandra Urbina did too.

“Taking the PSAT Boot Camp was a great decision,” said Alessandra. “I believe that it helped me do well on the exam.”

The [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”] Gifted and Talented Department will offer the PSAT Boot Camp in Summer 2016. The department will post information [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]under the Career and College Readiness webpage in May 2016.

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For consideration of a scholarship, Semifinalists must advance to Finalist standing in the competition. They must meet high academic standards and all other requirements. The NMSC will notify some 15,000 Semifinalists in February 2016. This is when they will know if they have advanced to Finalist standing.

The NMSC also recognized Alessandra Urbina from Victory Early College High School. She earned Commended Scholar standing. About 34,000 of the approximately 50,000 high scorers receive Letters of Commendation. The NMSC recognizes their outstanding academic promise.

Commended Scholars do not continue in the competition for National Merit® Scholarships. Some of these students do become candidates for Special Scholarships. These are sponsored by corporations and businesses.

The Benefits of Taking the PSAT

[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study. You can then focus your preparation on those areas where you need more study or practice.[/li] [li]

Compare your admission test performance with that of others applying to college.[/li][/ul]

[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Enter the competition for scholarships from NMSC (grade 11).[/li] [li]Help prepare for the SAT. You can become familiar with the kinds of questions and the exact directions you will see on the SAT.[/li][/ul]

[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Receive information from colleges when you check “yes” to Student Search Service.[/li][/ul]

Hispanic/Latino juniors who take the PSAT/NMSQT® can apply for academic recognition. This is part of the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP).

The NHRP recognizes about 5,000 of the 250,000 Hispanic/Latino juniors who take the test.

Scholars can include the College Board’s NHRP academic honor on college applications. It’s not a scholarship. But colleges do use this program to identify exceptional Hispanic/Latino students.

NHRP — The College Board reaches out to students who:

[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Take the PSAT/NMSQT in October of their junior year[/li] [li]Are at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino [/li][/ul]

[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Achieve the minimum required PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index score (this qualifying level may vary by state, region, and territory each year)[/li] [li]Earn a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher by the middle of their junior year[/li][/ul]

This year, a total of 10 Aldine students earned National Hispanic Recognition Scholar standing. Both Ruben and Alessandra received NHRS recognition. They weren’t the only students from Victory Early College High School. Also making the list are Alejandro Becerra, Melanie Castellanos, Richard Paredes, and José Tello. The other AISD National Hispanic Recognition Scholars are Melissa Pérez from Aldine High School, Ana Colindres from Carver High School as well as Rolando Benítez-Granados and Dayana Vásquez from Davis High School.

The number of AISD students recognized increased. [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Last year, the district had one Commended Scholar. The district also had a total of five National Hispanic Recognition Scholars.

Superintendent Dr. Wanda Bamberg is proud of the Scholars.

“I congratulate the students on their achievement,” said Bamberg. “They have demonstrated an incredible ability to balance responsibilities. They have attained academic success while taking part in extracurricular activities.

“I also acknowledge the Board of Trustees. The Board supports [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]programs that prepare students to take the PSAT and SAT. Aldine Trustees support college readiness initiatives.“

Kudos to all the students!