National Merit Scholar Isaac Cheng Offers Advice for Incoming Freshmen
National Merit Scholarship Corporation
Recognizing and honoring the academically talented students of the United States.
Isaac Cheng, winner of a 2024 National Merit State Farm Companies Foundation Scholarship, is studying computer science at Pasadena City College . "Throughout high school, I was motivated to excel partly because of my peers but also because I dislike failure. Personally, I believe achieving a five on my AP Chemistry exam is one of my biggest achievements. . . . If I were to advise incoming high school freshmen, I would tell them to make the most of these four years, studying hard and challenging themselves with hard classes but also remembering to make time to go out with their friends and to take care of their mental well-being."
"I was very grateful to win this award because I studied hard in school and prepared a lot for the SAT," Isaac says on winning his scholarship. "I feel like there are a lot of other students . . . that also deserve this award, so I feel like when I accept this award, I am also accepting it on behalf of all of them as well."