She’s senior lieutenant on the Sapphires, Newspaper editor in chief, Yearbook co-editor in chief, and Family Head of NHS. She also recently qualified for semifinals for National Merit Scholar. She is Addie Orr.

How much did you study for the PSAT?

Wylie East offered the PSAT prep class and that truly did help. I focused on English simply because I like it better than math. They offered the book which helped a lot because when I got to the actual test, it was easy

What comes with the honor?

It opened a lot of doors and invitations to colleges. It really helped me on the SAT which was also pretty high, and I got a perfect score on the writing portion. 

What was your score?

1490/1520

What does it mean to be a semi-finalist?

There are two more rounds after this. If I get to finals, I need to write an essay, verify my score, get letters of recommendation from the principals, submit my essay etc. It’s a long process.

Were you expecting this?

I estimated it in March that I was probably going to be a semi-finalist. It was always a goal of mine, and I didn’t know I was going to achieve it. The fact that I did get it, feels pretty freaking great.

What lies ahead?
I’m currently filling out scholarship applications, and I’m waiting until February to find out if I’m a finalist. It puts a lot of pressure on me because I have to be decided by March; however I’m grateful to have this problem. Wow, it’s a lot.

In a dash–