Senior Daniel Goodwin stares at the prompt before him.  He has to start today. This essay could change his entire life. It could be the difference between making it into the college of his choice or one of his safety schools. It could get him thousands of dollars in scholarships.  He steps away from the desk.  Maybe he’ll go outside.

Goodwin is the only student from Legacy to move on to the semifinal round of the National Merit Scholar selection process. Less than one percent of U.S. students make it to this round.

“When I found out that I had made it, I was like ‘Oh, that’s nice’,” Goodwin said. “I wasn’t going to stop my life because of it.”

If Goodwin makes it to the finalist round, he will be considered for one of 2,500 National Merit scholarships of $2,500 each. In order to move to the final round of National Merit Scholar selection, semi-finalists must submit a grade report, provide an evaluation from a school administrator and write an essay.Goodwin will know in February if he is a finalist.

“It’s maybe the most important essay of my life, and I haven’t started. It’s due Friday,” Daniel said.

Goodwin is also an AP Scholar with Distinction, meaning he made a three of five on five or more exams with an average of 3.5. Only 6,772 students in Texas achieved this honor last year.

“It doesn’t surpise me that [Daniel] earned this because I know how smart he is and how much effort he put in,” Goodwin’s Counselor Dana Railsback said.

Though he appreciates how difficult this award is to get, Goodwin feels it is for the most part insignificant.

“I can put [that I’m an AP scholar] on a college application and everything, but I don’t actually get anything for it,” Goodwin said.  “It’s just sort of there. It’s like ‘Oo he’s an AP Scholar,’ it doesn’t matter that much.”
Goodwin plans on going to either Northwestern University in Chicago or Rice and majoring in music and business.

“He’s a great kid and I look forward to seeing where he goes in the future,” Mrs. Railsback said.