Main Line Private School Announces Record Number of National Merit Semifinalists

PR Log (Press Release) – Oct 27, 2009 – Thirteen Devon Prep seniors, nearly 25% of the Class of 2010, were recognized by the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program. Nine of these students were named Semifinalists, one of the largest numbers per capita in the area. Four were named Commended Students.

The Semifinalists are Matthew C. Gruchacz, Shane J. Howard, Theodore J. Lawrence, Samuel P. Parkinson, Andrew L. Robie, Robert M. Smith, Daniel H. Stack, Joseph A. Stucynski, Francisco F. Suero.

The Commended students include: Andrew E. Callahan, Patrick W. Henry, Philip J. Nowlan, Patrick F. O'Brien.

On average 22% of Devon Prep’s graduates are named as Finalists, Semifinalists or Commended Students in the National Merit Scholarship Program

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an annual academic competition for recognition and scholarships. More than 1.5 million students in over 22,000 U.S. high schools entered the Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

The Semifinalists are among the 16,000 students who are the highest-scoring entrants in each state. Semifinalists are the only participants who qualify to continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships. Scholarship winners will be named in 2010. Approximately 90% of the semifinalists are expected to advance to the finalist level, based on academic achievement, skills, and potential for success.

Those Commended students are among 34,000 of the approximately 50,000 high scorers on the PSAT/NMSQT® who were recognized for their outstanding academic promise.