OREM -- It's just two months into the current school year, but for seniors at high schools throughout the area, it's time to start reaping scholarships, commendations, awards, and grants to start their college careers.

The latest pronouncements have come from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which sponsors the national PSAT tests.

At Orem High School, four students have been recognized for their academic achievement. Two are National Merit semi-finalists who can apply to take the finals test. Two other Bruins have received commendation for their academic standing and test scores.

Keri Erdmann and Rachel Dabb, both seniors at Orem High School, have been named among the most academically talented students in the country by the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Both girls have been named "commended students," and are being recognized with nearly 34,000 other students who placed among the top 5 percent of the more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2010 competition by taking the 2008 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

While Dabb and Erdmann are in the top 5 percent academically based on the test scores, two seniors at Orem High -- Thomas Clements and Jan Paul Bergeson -- have qualified as National Merit semifinalists. Semifinalists are in the top 1 percent of students in the nation, and are often guaranteed full-ride scholarships to the college of their choice, teachers said.

"I was surprised when my principal announced to me that I was a National Merit Semifinalist," said Clements. "I am honored to be in this select group of students nation-wide. I love to learn and have set high academic goals, so being told that I am in the top 1 percent of students nationally is really exciting."

Bergeson was also named an Orem High semifinalist, a title that brings distinction to his school.

"I am very grateful to my parents for making me study so much for the PSAT so I could get this scholarship," Bergeson said.

Jane Lindhout, principal at Orem High, will present the commendations to Erdmann and Dabb.

"Both girls work on my yearbook staff. Keri is my editor, " said Gina Tuttle, yearbook advisor. "I was not surprised to learn that they are National Merit Finalists. They are both very intelligent and extremely hard-working. They are both involved in a lot of extra-curricular activities. I depend on both of them so much for help in completing the yearbook. ... I'm so proud of both of them."

The PSAT is one of the tests used as a college acceptance test and has been used to prepare students for the American College Test (ACT). Like other tests, students begin as early as their sophomore year preparing for college and its ever-growing expenses.

"Being commended by the National Merit Corporation is an honor," Dabb said. "Being selected from so many is a unique experience and I'm grateful for the opportunities it gives me."

Erdmann hopes the recognitions will land her a few scholarships for college. She is hoping to attend college out of state, and costs can be exorbitant.

"I took the PSAT because I heard it was great practice for the ACT, but also because I heard that it looked good on a college application," Erdmann said. "I'm hoping that my achievement of Commended Student will help me earn a scholarship so I can pay for college. My education is something that is very important to me. I'm working very hard to ensure that my high school transcript is academically sound as well as well-rounded."

According to an National Merit spokesperson, recognition of high-achieving students is essential to advancing educational excellence in the nation. As demonstrated by their outstanding performance in this highly competitive program, the teens named Commended Students and Semifinalists represent some of the most academically talented students in the country.

Other National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists at high schools in Orem

Mountain View High School

Michelle Bolton

Quinn E. Colter

Andrew Galloway

Nicholas Harrison

Dani Peterson

Bradley Sampson

Timpanogos High School

Spencer Baker

Jacob Berlin

Utah County Academy of Sciences

Kade Bishop

Marianne Carpenter

Rachel Baarda