Student Spotlight: Patrick Nnoromele
McDermott Scholars receive one of the most selective and generous undergraduate merit awards in the nation; it includes a full scholarship and stipend package at The University of Texas at Dallas. Along with being a National Merit Finalist, Model Laboratory School senior Patrick Nnoromele was chosen as one of the twenty McDermott Scholars from a pool of 1900 applicants and will be studying molecular biology at UT-Dallas in the fall. Patrick was accepted into 11 schools including Yale and Stanford and turned down 5 full scholarships to attend UT-Dallas as a McDermott Scholar.
A 2017 Governor’s Scholar, Patrick boasts an incredible 1470 SAT score and 33 on the ACT. Throughout his four years at Model Lab he participated in multiple extracurricular activities and was a student athlete. He participated in Future Problem Solving and coached the middle and high school teams for 3 years. Patrick achieved 2nd place in the state in the half-mile while on the track and cross country team. He also created the Diversity Union at Model Lab, promoting political awareness and cultural acceptance. Patrick will attend the Professional Education Preparation Program (PEPP) at the University of Kentucky this summer. UK PEPP is a 4-week residential program that provides an introduction to careers in medicine and dentistry through academic enrichment, admissions guidance, health-related seminars and experiences, and clinical/hospital rotations UK’s Chandler Medical Center. After all this, Patrick still found time to play four instruments: saxophone, flute, guitar, and ukulele.
During high school, Patrick found success in balancing his education and his extracurriculars—something very difficult for many students in high school. When asked how he managed, Patrick answered, “I’m an athlete, but I’m a student athlete.” Above all, Patrick values his education, and it shows through his nearly $1.5 million in scholarship awards.
Patrick is a three-year participant in Making the Grade’s tutoring services for ACT/SAT test prep. Patrick began preparing for these standardized tests his sophomore year of high school. He estimates that he completed over 4,000 practice questions during his preparation. Patrick believes in the importance of preparation before execution; he finds taking practice tests an extremely important step in preparing to take any standardized test. When Patrick was asked what advice he has for students who have yet to take the ACT or SAT, Patrick suggested to prepare most for the sections you are most afraid of to overcome your fear so that it does not consume you on test day.
Patrick has been extremely successful in his education, service, extracurricular activities, and hobbies. He was willing to share his secret to success, saying “Flexibility is key. Just understand that there is more than one right way to accomplish your goals.”
Patrick Nnoromele
Model Laboratory School
Graduating Class of 2018
