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National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist Maggie Scott '24 Ranks Among Top 1% Nationwide

Marian is proud to announce Maggie Scott ’24 as a Semifinalist in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program! Last week, National Merit Corporation released the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 69th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program. This group represents less than 1% of the nation's graduating senior class. 

Hometown:  Bloomfield Hills, MI  

Middle School: St. Hugo  

Campus Involvement: 

  • Varsity Volleyball captain  
  • All School Board rep  
  • Forensic speaking team  
  • Spanish Honors Society President  
  • Ambassador Club Senior Officer  
  • Marian Mindset Project recruitment lead
  • Business and Entrepreneurship Alliance at Marian & Rice  
  • National STEM Honors Society  

 Off Campus Involvement:  

  • Sunrise Retirement Home volunteer  
  • Roadside Bar and Grill hostess  

 What made you decide to attend Marian?  

It was a difficult choice for me to decide between another Catholic high school my mom and my sister had gone, and Marian, where many of my friends were going. In the end, it came down to my shadow visit. I fell in love with the community of students that uplift one another and the large number of extracurriculars I could explore.  

What is one lesson you will take with you from your time at Marian? 

Marian has challenged me to venture far out of my comfort zone and try new things. Whether it's taking on an advanced-level class, stepping into a club leadership role, or teaching my entire grade the words to our field day cheers, Marian has taught me the valuable lesson that the best memories are made when you are a little uncomfortable.  

What do you love most about Marian?  

I adore all the unique traditions that set Marian apart. I always have something to look forward to: senior football, field day, dances, retreats, raffle skit– the list goes on. With each event, the school is given another opportunity to create memories and bond closer together. Although we definitely have to attend more class-wide mandatory dance rehearsals than other high school students, I wouldn’t trade my Marian experience for the world.  

What are your plans after Marian – where are you apply to college, and what majors are you thinking about?  

I plan to study business, and I am applying to schools such as the University of Michigan and Michigan State. I will miss Marian and all the connections I made here, but I am super excited for whatever my next chapter brings me!  

September 13, 2023 -

Today officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®) announced the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title. 

NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 320 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goal of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence. 

Over 1.3 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 24 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrance. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors. 

From over 16,000 Semifinalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level, and in February they will be notified of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

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