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About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being honored for their exceptional academic promise. They placed among the top five percent of more than a million students who entered the 2005 Merit Program by taking the 2003 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Although the qualifying test scores of Commended Students are outstanding, they are slightly below the level required to continue in the competition for Merit Scholarship awards to be offered in 2005. A Merit Program spokesperson commented, "Recognition of academically promising students and of the key role played by schools in their development is essential to the pursuit of educational excellence in our nation. Our hope is that this recognition will encourage these able young people to develop their abilities to the fullest and, also, will enhance their opportunities and stimulate support for their higher education." |
COMMENDED
STUDENTS IN THE 2005 MERIT PROGRAM 
(TOP
5%)