Two outstanding seniors from Burroughs High School, Parker Anderson and Bekah Dickey, have been honored with the National Merit Scholarship Commendation, marking a significant achievement in their academic careers.
The National Merit Scholarship Program, one of the most competitive and recognized scholarship programs in the country, honors students who have demonstrated exceptional potential for success in college and beyond.
Selected from the top 50,000 students nationwide who participated in the 2023 PSAT/NMSQT, Anderson and Dickey are among the highest performers within 1.5 million test-takers.
Principal Carrie Cope congratulated the students on their incredible success.
“I’m very proud of Parker and Rebekah for achieving this wonderful award,” said Cope. “They are both outstanding, hard-working, intelligent students. What a great accomplishment!”
Anderson and Dickey’s preparations differed, but both shared insights into their approach to the PSAT, which is coming up for this year’s juniors in less than a week.
Dickey, who plans to major in music education at a Southern California university alongside her older siblings, encourages others to take the test multiple times beforehand.
“College Board has some great practice tests and studying options posted online,” said Dickey. “I would also recommend taking the test more than once, as it is definitely worth it. I was able to improve my score by over 100 by taking it again.”
Anderson, who kept his preparation simple, said, “I just made sure that I got a good night’s rest, a good breakfast, and that I was mentally prepared to take a long, standardized test such as the PSAT.”
He plans to pursue a STEM-related field after a two-year mission for his church. He offered advice to future test takers.
“I would advise this year’s group not to stress too much the night before about their performance on the PSAT,” said Anderson. “I would say to just be confident in their abilities and what they have learned in their high school career.”
This year’s PSAT will take place at Burroughs on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 8:10 AM in the Multi-Use Room. All registrations must be completed by Monday, October 14. An additional test date will occur in the spring.
Students can sign up online through the Burroughs Online Store or in person at the BHS Finance Office, located near the event windows by N-Hall and the Library.
The registration fee for the exam is $20. For any questions regarding the PSAT/NMSQT, students or parents can contact [email protected].
