Top 10 ways to become a National Merit Semifinalist

October 17, 2019 — by Jeffrey Ma and Brandon Wang

 Shoutout to all the juniors taking the PSAT on Saturday

  1. Move to Wyoming. If you can’t raise your score, just lower the bar of qualification (Wyoming’s cutoff was 10 points lower this year).

  2. Read the Falcon. Stay informed!

  3. Take a nap during the test. Catch up on sleep to be more alert.

  4. Don’t cheat. It’s not funny, just like this top 10.

  5. Yodel. Channel last year’s test and assert your dominance like a true loon.  

  6. Bring a snack. Distract your competition with food to lower the cutoff score.

  7. Prepare extra batteries. Your calculator might die during the test, just like your brain. 

  8. Ask a senior for advice. After all, 51 of them qualified, right?

  9. Cram the night before. Less sleep means more adrenaline. (Please don’t quote us on this.)

  10. Just learn it. Enjoy the process; it’s more important than the result.

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