Two Madison Country Day School seniors have been named 2026 National Merit Scholar finalists, placing them among the top 1% of students nationwide based on their PSAT scores.
Anya ’26 and Evan ’26 were first recognized as semifinalists in fall 2025 before advancing to finalist standing in early 2026. Director of College Counseling Matt Koehler said the semifinalist designation alone is a high bar.
“Semifinalists are based on your junior year PSATs, meaning that you scored in the top 1-2% in the state of Wisconsin,” Koehler said. “Then you fill out a list of all of your courses you have taken, the grades you have gotten, there’s an essay, and then you list your extracurriculars. It is kind of like a college continue on starts here application.”
Anya said her range of activities helped strengthen her application. She is editor-in-chief of the school’s literary magazine, participates in theater and music, competes in track and volunteers at the Middleton Public Library.
“You need to find a balance between activities and academics, and the more you work toward this balance, the easier it becomes to maintain,” she said.
For Evan, managing time around a demanding ultimate frisbee schedule — five practices a week plus weekend tournaments — meant getting creative.
“Watching a study video while you are eating can help,” he said. “There are times when you don’t realize that it’s a chance for you to be studying, and you have to use those periods so you don’t fall behind.”
Anya added that students who have already started their college applications may find the merit application less daunting than expected.
“If you have already completed or are in the process of filling out the Common App, I think the merit application is quite approachable and not too taxing to fill out,” she said.
Koehler noted that the designation carries weight in college admissions. “Colleges like to say things like ‘20% of our incoming class were National Merit recognized students,'” he said. “They can brag a little bit about how it sets them apart in the rankings.”
In the 2026 National Merit Scholar Program, two seniors at Madison Country Day School were recognized as finalists, putting them in the top 1% of nationwide students who took the SAT. Anya ‘26 and Evan ‘26 were recognized as semifinalists in late 2025, before being recognized as finalists in early 2026.
“I knew my score from the PSAT was in the qualifying range and that I was accepted as a semifinalist, so I was hopeful I would become a finalist,” Anya said. “I personally am editor-in-chief of our literary magazine, have participated in theater and music, am an athlete in track, and enjoy volunteering at the Middleton Public Library when I get the chance.”
These activities helped Anya to obtain a strong application throughout the process to become a finalist.
“You need to find a balance between activities and academics, and the more you work towards this balance, the easier it becomes to maintain,” Anya said.
“I play ultimate frisbee, and I have practice five times a week with tournaments on the weekends,” Evan said. “Watching a study video while you are eating can help. There are times when you don’t realize that it’s a chance for you to be studying, and you have to use those periods so you don’t fall behind.”
The process for these scholars is rewarding yet rigorous.
“Semifinalists are based on your junior year PSATs, meaning that you scored in the top 1-2% in the state of Wisconsin,” Matt Koehler, the director of college counseling at MCDS, said. “Then you fill out a list of all of your courses you have taken, the grades you have gotten, there’s an essay, and then you list your extracurriculars. It is kind of like a college application.”
“If you have already completed or are in the process of filling out the Common App, I think the merit application is quite approachable and not too taxing to fill out!” said Anya.
“Colleges like to say things like 20% of our incoming class were national merit recognized students,” Koehler said. “They can brag a little bit about how it sets them apart in the rankings and in how they compare themselves to other schools.”
