Press release from Oldenburg Academy

(Oldenburg, Ind.) - Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception is pleased to announce that Natalie Pottschmidt, of Bright and the Class of 2013, has been named a National Merit Finalist.

In the 2013 Competition, about 1.5 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

To become a Finalist, Ms. Pottschmidt and Oldenburg Academy submitted a detailed scholarship application in which OA provided information about Natalie’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, and honors and awards received. From the approximately 16,000 Semifinalists, about 15,000 advanced
to the Finalist level and in February were notified of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring of 2013.
Every Finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state representational basis. About 1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 240 corporations and business organizations for Finalists who meet their specified criteria, such as children of the grantor’s employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located. In addition, about 200 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 4,800 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards
for Finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.

National Merit Scholarship winners of 2013 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join more than 291,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.

Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception is a Franciscan Catholic co-educational college preparatory high school committed to academic excellence, social responsibility, leadership and personal growth for our students who will excel in our ever-changing world. Oldenburg Academy is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg. For more information, visit www.oldenburgacademy.org or contact our Admissions Director at 812.934.4440 ext. 231.