Thousands of students compete each year for a chance to be a National Merit Scholar. Senior Mitchell Skaggs is currently vying for a chance to be a finalist.

The National Merit Scholarship is a competition for students to get recognition and to receive scholarships. In order to qualify for the competition, they must take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

“The first stage, the stage that I am in, is called being a semifinalist,” Skaggs said. “It all depends on how you score on the PSAT.”

Skaggs, and other students who are eligible to become finalists are required to finish an application in order to be considered.

Skaggs took both the PSAT and the SAT so that his scores could be verified.

“I had to take both in order to confirm that I was a semifinalist,” Skaggs said. “I did some preparation and practice for both tests, and I went in hoping to the best I could do.”

Being a finalist is important for Skaggs and his plans for the future, as he is highly involved in many advanced programs at the high school.

“I am in the computer science classes here at the school, and I am also involved in the robotics club,” Skaggs said.

Not only is he involved, but he has many goals for his future that could be affected by being named a National Merit Scholarship finalist.

“My goal is to someday do something in computer science,” Skaggs said. “And it’s my dream to be able to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).”