As has been the case for the last several years, a large number of MTA students have again met the requirements to enter the National Merit Scholarship Program, in light of their exceptional performances on this past year’s PSAT. This year, six students achieved the impressive designation as a National Merit Scholar high scorer.

The fortunate students are Yishai Eisenberg of Passaic, CJ Glicksman and Ari Hagler of Teaneck, Yair Gross of West Hempstead, Tsahi Halyo of Edison, and Michael Kolber of Spring Valley. The boys were all deeply humbled and honored by the designation, and were proud to continue MTA’s legacy of academic excellence. “It’s really an honor,” said Yair Gross, “And it’s just very exciting,” added Michael Kolber. The other boys echoed his feelings.

This year’s cadre of high scorers follows MTA’s impressive 2013-2014 achievement, when again, six students won the National Merit recognition—the greatest number of boys of any yeshiva high school for that year.

Of the 1.5 million students who entered the 2014-2015 competition by taking the PSAT exam last fall, MTA’s six students were among the 50,000 highest scoring participants from across the country who now go on to the next stage of the program. In the fall, 16,000 students will be named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists. Those semifinalists will have the opportunity to continue in the competition for about 8,000 National Merit Scholarships to be offered in 2016. “I sure hope we’re among them,” said Ari Hagler, “but I’m just happy that we all made it this far.”