Each September, as students across the nation return to classrooms and routines, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announces its newest class of Semifinalists — and at Western Reserve Academy, that announcement is always cause for celebration. This year, we’re thrilled to share that seven members of the Class of 2026 have earned the coveted distinction of National Merit Semifinalists.
Semifinalists represent the top one percent of high school seniors nationwide based on the PSAT performance. From more than 1.3 million entrances, only about 16,000 students earn this honor, and our seven students have joined the ranks.
Congratulations to:
- Sihyang (Christine) Baek ’26
- Thomas M. Casey ’26
- Jinxi (Alex) Lin ’26
- Yanxi (Aurora) Liu ’26
- Yukun (Quincy) Liu ’26
- Ruihan (Stephanie) Qin ’26
- Peiyang (Lisa) Yu ’26
As Semifinalists, these students will now advance in the competition for one of nearly 7,000 National Merit Scholarships to be awarded this spring. The application process considers not only test scores but also academic records, leadership and contributions beyond the classroom. Essentially, qualities our students exemplify every day on campus!
Because the National Merit selection index for boarding schools is set even higher than for Ohio’s public and independent day schools, our students’ achievements are especially noteworthy. We look forward to cheering them on as they submit their applications and await their finalist notification in February. No matter the outcome, we are already very proud.
Congratulations, Pioneers!
