For many of the 1.6 million juniors across the nation, the day felt like any other, but it would be an extraordinary day for Cameron Calabrese. He rose early and prepared to face that four-letter monster: the PSAT. Though he had put in hours of preparation, there was no way he could be certain that he would achieve a high enough score to be placed among the ranks of the top 1% of students nationwide, but that was his goal. As he left the test that day, he felt really good about his performance, but all he could do was wait and see.
I recently had the opportunity to ask Cameron a few questions about this great accomplishment. I wanted to learn more about this remarkable young man and his journey to becoming a National Merit Semifinalist.
Q: Has it always been your goal to become a National Merit Semifinalist?
A: No, but it became a goal after getting my scores back freshman year because my parents thought I could make it if I put in the work.
Q: Once you realized you had a shot, did you do anything to prepare for the PSAT?
A: I took part in a program that allowed me to take a bunch of practice tests, as well as helping me with specific parts of the test.
Q: When did you start that preparation?
A: I started preparing the summer after freshman year.
Q: Was it a stressful process working towards accomplishing that goal? If so, how?
A: Taking the test was a little stressful but the preparation, which was mostly practice tests, was more tiring than stressful.
Q: Has becoming a National Merit Semifinalist opened up any doors for you?
A: Yes, it has opened up scholarship opportunities, as well as opportunities to attend schools I may not have otherwise been able to attend.
Q: What subject do you think prepares you the most for life after high school? Why?
A: Well, since I'm planning on going into math and science related fields in college, I would guess that one of them will help me the most. While I think almost all of my classes prepare me in some way or another, math and science classes will prove more helpful for my course of action. I am currently undecided in my college choice, but I plan on studying engineering.
Q: How did being a student at CCA help you prepare to become a National Merit Semifinalist?
A: The rigorous academics at CCA naturally prepared me for a lot of the test. Latin class in junior high helped some with vocabulary. Besides the classes themselves, the time set aside for test prep was helpful.
Q: What will you miss the most after you graduate from CCA?
A: It kind of depends on what college is like, but I appreciate how the teachers at CCA are always giving up their time to help us out on stuff.
It is exciting to see how Cameron’s hard work and grit paid off for him. He was willing to put in the extra hours of test prep while pursuing excellence at school, and he reached his goal. I know he must be so thankful his parents saw the potential in him and pushed him to work hard towards his goal. I would guess that extraordinary day back in October of 2016, when he slayed the PSAT monster, is a day that he will likely never forget.
