Bennett Weiss Named 2026 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist
Millbrook student Bennett Weiss was recently named a 2026 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. Read more about him and what he hopes to achieve in the future.
Q. What does this recognition mean to you personally?
A. I was really excited to do well in order to represent Millbrook. Hopefully some younger students can see that it's possible to do really well on the PSAT and college admissions. I think my classmates are doing a great job being examples of that as well.
Q. How did you prepare for the PSAT, and what strategies worked best for you?
A. I hardly did any PSAT specific prep. But, I’ve tried to challenge myself with various courses at Millbrook and apply myself every day. The most useful courses were definitely algebra, geometry, English, stats and computer science. I am really, really, really thankful for the opportunity to accelerate my math classes. That is the single most important thing you can do to improve SAT/PSAT scores.
Q. What role did your teachers, family or friends play in supporting you on this journey?
A. They helped me tremendously. My teachers do an excellent job of creating a good learning environment each and every day, while my family encourages and supports me. I’m very thankful to have very smart friends who all value their education even more than I do. They make it easy to choose the hard classes.
Q. What subjects or areas of study are you most passionate about, and why?
A. I really enjoy mathematics due to the clear cut nature of it all. I think it also has a very obvious real world application as well.
Beyond academics, what activities or organizations are you most involved in?
I love to compete in endurance sports like cross country and rowing. I also enjoy getting to compete with the Millbrook DECA chapter.
Q. What are your plans for college and career goals at this point?
A. I definitely want to go to college for finance and economics in order to become a financial manager. Now that I got the semifinalist award, my college search is flipped on its head. I’m trying to find a school that offers good merit scholarships and finance programs.
Q. How do you hope to use your talents and skills to make a positive impact in the future?
A. I wish to become a financial manager to help people budget, save, and invest for a better future for people and their families.
Q. What advice would you give to younger students who want to challenge themselves academically?
A. Don’t be afraid to take a risk wholeheartedly. In other words, take on a challenge but believe completely in your ability to succeed at the same time.
