This year, seniors Adina Dominitz and Kyra Nguyen received letters regarding their junior year PSAT scores.

They were both among the 50,000 out of 1.3 million PSAT takers recognized for National Merit, scholars that achieve the highest PSAT scores.

16,000 out of the 1.3 million PSAT takers are recognized as Semifinalists, which are the top 1% of PSAT scorers. This milestone could lead to placements in the Finalist category, and lastly, the National Merit Scholar category — the members of which are chosen based on a comparison of their achievements and skills with that of other Finalists.

This recognition is based on a student’s PSAT, or Pre-SAT, score from junior year. There is a certain index score that a student must exceed to become a commended student, which varies each year and between states. It’s a calculated score that combines all subject scores with a weight towards English.

Dominitz, who plays on the girls lacrosse team at Ida B. Wells High School and helped start the girls flag football team at La Salle, said she had a feeling that she had been selected for the honor prior to receiving the letter of commendation that confirmed it, but was still excited to receive the recognition.

“I knew when cutoffs were … so I knew I would get something, [but] I was still happy that it worked out,” Dominitz said.

She explained how there was no major sign-up needed to enter the National Merit Scholarship competition and few requirements, which include: living in the United States, attending high school, and taking the PSAT in junior year.

After achieving recognition as a semifinalist, students from across the country have the opportunity to move onto becoming a finalist if they choose to submit an application to move forward. Nguyen explained that around 95% of semifinalists are chosen to become finalists, giving her a high chance after submitting her application.

Nguyen plays on the varsity girls tennis team and is one of the leaders of the Asian American Pacific Islander Club. This year, she was also among 16,000 other students from across the nation to advance to the semifinals.

She expressed how grateful she is for the new opportunities it has unlocked for her, including potential full-ride scholarships to selected colleges, part of her status as a semi-finalist.

“I would suggest preparing beforehand,” Nguyen said regarding the PSAT. “There’s a lot of materials that you can study with online or on College Board.”

Both students highly suggested using apps and websites like Desmos, YouTube, and SAT Bank to feel more prepared prior to taking it.

“I definitely recommend looking up all the Desmos tricks that I should have learned,” Dominitz said. “And then just always thinking about how I should approach the question really helps me.”

Nguyen not only mentioned online resources, but also in-person studying or PSAT prep as well.

“If you have the resources, it’d be great to find a tutor or study with friends or family,” Nguyen said.

Dominitz additionally expressed how many of the classes offered at La Salle were very beneficial for when they took the PSAT.

“I think that my English score was so good just because of [Honors English II] with Mr. Larson,” Dominitz said. “We went over grammar so much that it was ingrained into my brain.”

Among these strategies and helpful resources, Nguyen suggested studying in advance for the SAT.

“The way I studied for the PSAT was studying for the SAT,” Nguyen said. “If you learn all the hard stuff, the PSAT becomes a lot easier.”

Nguyen also mentioned how the PSAT is often misunderstood as unimportant due to it being the practice version of the SAT.

“It’s kind of hidden,” she said.

Nguyen suggested that parents should learn and realize the importance of the PSAT and all the potential opportunities their child could earn from it.

“I would love to help La Salle start something that gives more awareness about the PSAT,” Nguyen said.

Despite the potential benefits of doing well on the PSAT, Dominitz emphasized the importance of not worrying about the results over enjoyment.

“Keep on challenging yourself, but don’t put too much pressure on it … also don’t prioritize the score,” Dominitz said. “Prioritize doing extracurriculars that you care about rather than trying to get a specific score.”

Correction: Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated senior Kyra Nguyen’s status as a commended scholar instead of a semifinalist.