The National Merit Scholarship is an award that is given to the top 1% of scores on the PSAT. More than 16,000 students receive this honor. Emma Hornbecker has received this national recognition as a semi-finalist. Hornbecker is in the process of applying to be a finalist.

Hornbecker says, “It’s just like any other scholarship application, there’s an essay I have to write and fill out questions about my extracurriculars.”

Hornbecker was asked what it took to get into the top 1% of scores, and she said “Quite honestly, I didn’t really study for it.” She also said that sophomore year there was a lot of math she didn’t know, and Algebra two helped her for junior year PSAT.

She said, “I had gotten a 1450 on the PSAT.”

Hornbecker won’t receive any scholarship money unless she becomes a finalist. However, on applications to colleges, she can put that she was nationally recognized for the National Merit Scholarship.

“There’s no money but it does count as a national recognition award”, Hornbecker says.

Hornbecker will be notified if she is a finalist in early February of 2024.