Merrill applied to the trustees to be awarded a Ph.D. In 1886 Merrill became the first American woman to be awarded such a distinction in mathematics, which she earned cum laude.
Merrill inilapat sa Trustees na iginawad ng isang Ph.D. Sa 1886 Merrill ang naging unang American babae na iginawad tulad ng isang pagkakaiba sa matematika, na kung saan siya kinita may karangalan.