Senior Sam Bayliff was recently named a National Merit Scholar semifinalist.
In order to become a semifinalist, juniors must take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) and score in the top half of one percent in the state. Further academic and extracurricular requirements will decide on who makes finalist status.
Bayliff was not surprised when he found out he achieved this status.
“Just based on my score on the PSAT I anticipated that I got that a while ago,” Bayliff said.
He hopes that he will continue on to the finals to compete for a $2,500 scholarship.
Bayliff is not sure where he wants to go to college yet, but he knows that he wants to double-major in physics and chemistry.
“[I] haven’t decided on a college, but [I’m] looking at a lot,” Bayliff said.
He aspires to be a professor and researcher in the future.
