09 Oct Malia Yap: Harvard-Westlake Student Named a National Merit Scholarship Commended Student
Setting the Bar High at Harvard-Westlake
This September is particularly special for Senior Malia Yap, an accomplished student at Harvard-Westlake School. She’s not just hitting the books; she’s making waves in the academic community. Her exceptional skills and diligence have caught the attention of the National Merit Scholarship Program, earning her the title of a Commended Student.
What Being a Commended Student Means at Harvard-Westlake
If you’re not up to speed on what the National Merit Scholarship Program is, let’s just say it’s a pretty big accolade. Students nationwide take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) in hopes of standing out, and Malia did just that. Her scores placed her among the elite, the top 50,000 students entering the 2024 National Merit Program. Being a Commended Student sets Malia apart from the crowd. It puts her in a special bracket of roughly 34,000 students across the country who are exceptionally gifted academically. Though she didn’t make the cut for the top 16,000 Semifinalists, let’s not forget that being a Commended Student is still a remarkable achievement.
A Team Effort at Harvard-Westlake
Behind Malia’s success is a supportive network that includes not only her, but also her family and the faculty at Harvard-Westlake. Excellence isn’t achieved in isolation; it takes a village to raise a scholar.
The Road Ahead for Malia
Although Malia won’t be vying for the Merit Scholarship awards moving forward, this doesn’t put a cap on her future prospects. The title of Commended Student is more than just a feather in her cap; it’s a launching pad for other great things that are surely on the horizon.
Beyond the Classroom
Malia’s current academic success is just the tip of the iceberg. The real excitement lies in what she’ll accomplish next, both at Harvard-Westlake and beyond. She’s shown us that when it comes to making the most of your potential, there really are no limits.
So here’s to Malia Yap—keep shining, keep inspiring, and most importantly, keep doing you.
