Willowbrook senior named semifinalist in 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program

Willowbrook senior Tyler Rusnak has been named as a semifinalist in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Rusnak is one of 16,000 students who have been named as semifinalists in the 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

“It was a relief,” Rusnak said of his accomplishment. “I worked hard to prepare for this exam, and I was thrilled when I saw the results.”

According to the NMSC, Rusnak now has the opportunity to earn a National Merit Scholarship this spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Rusnak must become a finalist by submitting a detailed scholarship application that provides information about his academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment and honors and awards he has received.

According to the NMSC, about 1.4 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2013 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The group of semifinalists includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state and represents less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors. Rusnak scored a 221 out of a possible 240 on the PSAT/NMSQT. He also received a perfect score of 36 on the ACT, a national college admissions exam that consists of subject-area tests in math, English, reading and science.

Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in spring 2015, and recipients will be announced between April and July.

• Every finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational basis.
• About 1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by about 240 corporations and business organizations.
• About 200 colleges and universities are expected to finance about 4,100 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.

Rusnak is a member of Willowbrook’s DECA Team, Math Team, National Honor Society, Civitas (the school’s social studies honor society), Scholastic Bowl, Key Club and Gay-Straight Alliance. He hopes to attend University of Chicago, University of Wisconsin-Madison or Carleton College and major in math or science.

“The teachers here at Willowbrook really focus on helping you learn, rather than just teaching to the test,” Rusnak said. “The staff has definitely helped me reach this level of success.”