ISM Students Earn Top Honors in 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program
Eden Prairie, MN – The International School of Minnesota (ISM) is proud to announce that three of its exceptional seniors have been recognized by the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program, one of the most prestigious academic competitions in the United States.
ISM senior Zyva Iqbal has been named a National Merit Semifinalist, while seniors Yewon Jang and Minjun Jang have been honored as Commended Students for their outstanding academic achievements.
The National Merit Scholarship Program identifies and celebrates the nation’s highest-achieving high school students. Each year, over 1.3 million students take the PSAT/NMSQT, but only about 16,000 students — less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors — qualify as semifinalists.
These semifinalists now move forward in the competition for finalist standing and a chance to earn merit-based scholarships awarded by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, corporate sponsors, and participating colleges and universities.
As a semifinalist, Zyva will submit a comprehensive application that highlights academic performance, leadership experience, extracurricular achievements, and a personal essay, along with a recommendation from a school official.
"The SAT and PSAT aren’t IQ tests—they don’t measure intelligence,” Zyva said. “If you approach them with the mindset of, ‘I can get every question right because I have the tools I need,’ that’s incredibly powerful. At ISM, our integrated math curriculum ensures most students reach full proficiency in all the tested material by 9th or 10th grade, so by 11th grade we’re already well prepared for those topics."
Her hard work, determination, and intellectual curiosity exemplify the academic excellence and well-rounded education that ISM provides its students.
Alongside the semifinalist recognition, ISM proudly celebrates seniors Yewon Jang and Minjun Jang, both named Commended Students.
“It’s fun to see multiple ISM students be recognized and we’re rooting on Zyva in the final steps of her application,” Yewon said. “These results show that things are possible if you try and work hard.”
Although Commended Students do not continue in the scholarship competition, this recognition places them among the top 50,000 scorers nationwide, a remarkable academic accomplishment.
“The weekly test taking at ISM prepared me to take the PSAT without as many nerves and just focusing on the test material,” Minjun said. “I’m really excited to be nationally recognized.”
Their dedication to academic excellence reflects ISM’s commitment to preparing students to excel at the highest levels, both in the classroom and beyond.
Mr. Zach Cohen, ISM’s Director of College Counseling, praised the students for their achievements and highlighted how ISM’s rigorous curriculum and individualized guidance help students reach their full potential.
“It is really nice that our students are being recognized for their hard work and their test-taking ability,” Cohen said. “It’s not surprising that our students who do so well on our SABIS® exams are naturally ready to take the PSATs and the SATs when the time comes. While these three students were recommended, we’re really proud of everyone's scores throughout the school year.”
At ISM, students benefit from small class sizes, personalized college counseling, and a rigorous, proprietary curriculum designed to prepare them for success at top universities and in future careers.
The finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program will be announced in spring 2026, with scholarship winners revealed between April and July 2026. Until then, the ISM community stands proudly behind Zyva, Yewon, and Minjun as they continue to represent the school on this prestigious national stage.
About The International School of Minnesota
The International School of Minnesota, located in Eden Prairie, MN, is the #1 private school in Minnesota, offering a world-class education from PreK through Grade 12. With a focus on academic excellence, leadership, and global citizenship, ISM prepares students to thrive in college and beyond.
Learn more about ISM and schedule a campus tour by emailing admissions@ism-sabis.net.
