Taking the PSAT provides high school juniors the opportunity to be awarded with different levels of National Merit distinction. Each year, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation names National Merit Commended students based on their Selection Index. Students take the PSAT in October of their junior year and then are notified by schools in September of the following year if they earned a distinction. The cutoff this year was a selection index score of 210 nationwide. Around 34,000 students were designated as Commended Students this year, with only 999 students coming from Ohio. While these Commended Students do not continue the competition for the National Merit Scholarships, they are still considered for other special scholarships offered by numerous other sponsors.
This year, Mentor High School is proud to highlight eight students who have been commended:
Commended Students
Kara Cogan
Nathan Kozlowksi
Devin Olix
Eli Pacheco
Ben Sherman
Bella Wargo
Cardinal Nation was also lucky to speak with many of the commended students. Their verbatim responses are included below alongside photos provided by the students.
Talking to the Commended Students
Cardinal Nation: What does earning this distinction mean to you?
Cogan: I am proud to earn this distinction because it shows that my hard work in preparation has paid off.
Colagross: Earning this distinction quantifies my achievements throughout my academic career and highlights the work I have put in so far. The distinction also indicates that I have opportunities ahead in my path that I will have to work hard to seize.
Olix: Earning this distinction was an exciting moment, and it showed me that I was doing things well, but it also reminded me of how much higher there still was to go.
Pacheco: Earning this distinction is truly an honor. I’ve heard of the amazing things having it on my transcript can do when applying to college. In my opinion, it demonstrates the hard work and dedication that every single scholar has put into their education. This truly means a great deal to me, and it should mean a great deal to all the winners.
Sherman: Earning this distinction means that I will have to work harder and achieve more in the future so as to not peak in high school.
Wargo: Becoming a commended student for the PSAT/NMSQT has mainly played a role in building my confidence for standardized testing in general. I felt that I did not prepare as much as I could have for this test, so knowing that I scored high motivated me to create an improved study plan for the SAT and ACT.
West: I am very proud to have earned this distinction because I put a lot of effort into my academics. I am grateful that I have another representation of my hard work that I can share in my college application and beyond.
Cardinal Nation: What are your plans after high school?
Cogan: After high school, I plan to attend a four-year college and major in theater.
Colagross: I plan to attend either Kent State or Purdue University to become a pilot and fly around the world for a commercial or cargo airline.
Olix: My plans after high school are to continue to college and hopefully study computer science or some adjacent field.
Pacheco: After high school, I want to go to college and major in political science and economics, then obtain a master’s in public administration. I plan to work for the government as a finance director or city manager before eventually running for elected office.
Sherman: I plan to go to college for a degree in statistics, hopefully at Carnegie Mellon (fingers crossed), to become an actuary or biostatistician.
Wargo: I plan to attend a 4 year university and major in neuroscience on a pre-med track.
West: After high school, I currently plan to major in English at either Akron or Kent. I am considering a few different career paths in the general area of writing or higher education.
Cardinal Nation: How did you prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT?
Cogan: I took practice tests and reviewed questions I got wrong.
Colagross: Practice tests were the best resources for me, which helped acclimate my mind to the testing environment and the time constraints found in the test, and were also extremely helpful in laying out the various question formats that the test uses. When I would get answers incorrect or do poorly on a specific topic, only then would I dive deeper into specific practice questions.
Olix: I practiced a bit through practice tests, but to tell the truth I did not study that much for it.
Pacheco: I went to the library a few times in the 2-3 weeks leading up to the PSAT to take practice quizzes/questions, often with a friend. I also could see what I do the poorest on from my past tests and made sure to look up TikToks/YouTube videos about that specific topic. Furthermore, I was fortunate enough to have Mrs. Bolles, who allowed us to practice many times in class.
Sherman: I used Khan Academy practice problems for the English as well as full practice tests in blue book to get used to how they ask questions in both sections of the test.
Wargo: I used SAT practice tests to prepare as well as taking advantage of practice material for the Reading and Writing section provided by Mrs. Bolles in AP Lang.
West: A lot of my preparation took place in AP Language and Composition with Mrs. Bolles. The practice PSAT prep we did before the test was extremely helpful and I think it had a huge impact on my score.
Cardinal Nation: What advice do you have for underclassmen?
Cogan: Try not to stress about things you can’t control, just focus on doing your best.
Colagross: You are who you are, and only you can change that. Don’t let other people or things you cannot control dictate who you are or want to be. On the PSAT/NMSQT, set yourself a goal in your practice tests of where you want to be for the actual test.
Olix: Develop some kind of consistent study habit. The time or anything like that isn’t nearly as important as just doing it. If you don’t develop the habit soon enough you won’t be ready for when things start to pick up the pace.
Pacheco: In general, suggest making a strong connection with at least one teacher here at the high school. You will need them for a letter of recommendation and many other things throughout your career.
Sherman: Put your best into everything you do; from relationships to school work, everything you put your time into is worth proper effort and thought.
Wargo: Although often treated as a simple practice test for the SAT, I advise underclassmen to take the PSAT/NMSQT seriously as it can result in substantial scholarships if a student earns an exceptional score. Also, studying for the PSAT can paint a better picture of where you will need to improve to effectively prepare for the SAT.
West: My advice for underclassmen is to take your studying seriously! You are capable of great things if you work for them no matter what “letter grade” you typically receive. If you put the proper time in and ask for help you will get the score you want!
Cardinal Nation: Do you have a favorite study snack or ritual when prepping for big exams?
Cogan: I don’t do anything specific when preparing, but the morning of a test I always make sure to have a small breakfast and some form of caffeine.
Colagross: I drink a big glass of water and listen to Minecraft music while I study. Sometimes I also get up and pace around like a Batman villain to help me think.
Olix: I like to go for a walk. I find that movement can help me think, so I use it to help reinforce ideas in my brain.
Pacheco: I am someone who usually has a small breakfast and tends to only have caffeine occasionally. I can thank Mr. Butler for the advice to not change up your morning routine, as it can throw you off. So, every test day, I eat yogurt with honey, drink a glass of water, and get ready as normal. I don’t look at test material, and I go to bed early the night before. On the way to school, I play 5 specific songs: “Going to California” by Led Zeppelin, “The Lakes” by Taylor Swift, “Who Are You” by The Who, “L. A Woman” by The Doors, and finally, “Suck My Kiss” by The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Sherman: Honey wheat pretzel sticks and clementine oranges are always my go to snack when studying.
Wargo: When cramming the night before for standardized tests I alternate between studying and playing piano, as well as a few sets of pushups to keep me awake if needed. As far as snacks go, I eat lots of them.
West: When preparing for big exams I try to spend a few days before doing an overall review. I am a very study guide oriented person, so for the PSAT in particular the practice questions in BlueBook were very beneficial.
