Sage Altman, a senior at Reading Community Schools, has been honored as a National Merit Commended Scholar, an accolade that positions her among the nation’s elite students. This prestigious acknowledgment is awarded to those who rank in the top 50,000 scorers of the PSAT/NMSQT®, placing them within the top 3% of over 1.5 million test-takers nationwide.
The National Merit Scholarship Program, an academic competition initiated in 1955, is designed to recognize and reward top-performing students across the United States. Students enter the competition by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®)—a test that serves not only as a screening tool for the National Merit Scholarship Program but also provides practice for the SAT. Based on their scores, participants can be distinguished as Commended Scholars, Semifinalists, and ultimately, some reach National Merit Scholar status.
Commended Scholars, like Sage, are recognized for their exceptional academic promise demonstrated by their outstanding performance on the qualifying test. Although they do not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, Commended Scholars are among the top 3% of scorers, which significantly boosts their visibility among prospective colleges and universities.
This commendation is particularly noteworthy as it places Sage in a distinguished group of young scholars who have shown exemplary academic abilities at a critical time in their pre-college education. It signals potential scholarship opportunities and the promise of strong performances in future academic endeavors.
Sage was honored at the April 17th board meeting.