Four Ranney Seniors Earn National Merit Program Honor

Four Ranney School seniors are recipients of a National Merit Program Honor for their outstanding performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

Mary Breton, Alexis Connolly, Christopher Tomasetta and Manik Uppal were each named a Commended Student in the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program for their exceptional academic promise demonstrated by their outstanding performance on the qualifying test.

Ranney School students have consistently been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program for their academic excellence. These seniors represent almost 10% of the graduating class at Ranney. According to Manik Uppal, “The Ranney atmosphere breeds a desire to achieve academic excellence. This is why I did well on the PSAT test.”

Commended Students are named on the basis of a nationally applied Selection Index score that may vary from year to year and is below the level required for participants to be named Semifinalists in their respective states. Although Commended Students do not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships offered next spring, some students become candidates for Special Scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses.

Said Joseph Tweed, Assistant Head of Upper School and Dean of College Guidance at Ranney, “These four students are excellent examples of the fine teaching of our faculty and staff. Each student participates in a rigorous college preparatory curriculum that has prepared them to compete on a national level.”