Even when she was in elementary school, Joanna Kim strove to perform to a high standard. Now, the high school senior has been named a National Merit Scholarship finalist.
Kim received the news during a school day in February, similarly to when she learned she was a semifinalist.
“I think it was also through an email,” Kim said. “So, I was like ‘nice!’”
The score a student receives on the PSAT/NMSQT determines whether they will be considered for a National Merit Scholarship. To qualify as a finalist, students must also be planning to enroll fulltime in college the next fall, be endorsed by their high school principal, have a record of high academic performance throughout high school including in any college level courses, complete the application including an essay and earn a score on the SAT or ACT that confirms their PSAT/NMSQT performance.
Kim said that studying for the SAT was what most helped her to score high enough to be considered for the scholarship. Students can qualify for the National Merit Scholarship when they take the PSAT as a junior. Kim said that she thought qualifying was achievable.
“I think I remember,” she said, “having in my mind this was a specific goal that I wanted to obtain.”
Kim described herself as always having been “self-motivated,” and said that this played a large role in qualifying.
“I feel like I always try to push myself academically because I know what I’m capable of, but also I have a very good support system around me,” she said. “My family is always very supportive, and I have good friends.”
Aside from her academic performance, Kim has been involved in extracurricular activities in high school. She has been playing the violin since third grade and said she plans to continue in college sine it is something she enjoys.
Throughout high school, Kim has been in North Shore’s chamber orchestra. She also plays in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York, a high-level orchestra that gives Long Island student musicians an opportunity to rehearse and perform with recognized leaders in music education and performance. Kim said that seeing people around her achieving their goals has always been inspiring to her.
“When I was an underclassmen, I would always look up to the seniors and be like, ‘Wow, they’re doing such cool things’,” she said, “like research or in orchestra, and I would always aspire to be like them a little.”
Kim has also been a part of North Shore’s microbes and anatomy club since her sophomore year of high school.
In elementary school, Kim was a part of Glenwood Landing’s enrichment program, led by Audra Marcantonio.
“I remember I really enjoyed those because I remember in elementary school, I used to be pretty bored in class all the time,” Kim said. “But this helped me. That program was really interesting for me, so then it helped me to push myself outside of the classroom.”
Kim described the college application process as being “a lot” at the beginning but said she was able to get all of her applications in with time to spare on her deadlines. She credited her guidance counselor, Tim Shea with being paramount to helping her get through the process.
“He’s been so helpful,” Kim said. “I feel like I’ve been bombarding him with questions every once in a while, but then he always answers them, and he’s always happy to help out. So, that’s been a huge help.”
Now that she has been accepted, Kim said she plans to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study chemistry in the fall. She took Advanced Placement chemistry sophomore year at North Shore, and said that she liked it a lot even though it was the hardest class she had taken up to that point
She also had the opportunity to do organic chemistry research during a summer program at St. John’s University the summer before her junior year.
“That was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” Kim said. “I enjoyed it all so much, and it was super fun. And it kind of made me see how chemistry could be applied in real life.”
