National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist
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Anonymous
| Has anyone in DC, MD, or VA heard that your 2023 graduate qualified? If so, can you please report state and score? |
Anonymous
| I think you can google and see all the states and their relative minimum scores. |
Anonymous
| this just irritates me. my kid would qualify if in Florida, but we're in California |
Anonymous
I think DS qualifies, but haven't heard anything. Not sure if our FCPS HS notifies in advance or we have to wait for the official press release. |
Anonymous
Yep, can't understand why it's not determined nationwide. |
Anonymous
You are free to take that up with the CB. Per their site, To ensure that academically talented young people from all parts of the United States are included in this talent pool, Semifinalists are designated on a state-representational basis. Semifinalists are the highest scoring entrants in each state. Qualifying scores vary from state to state and from year to year. |
Anonymous
Kids in DC, NJ, and MA often would qualify in every state except their own. It's just the way it is. |
Anonymous
The nationwide score is the Commended score. |
Anonymous
MA, CA, MD, VA, NJ, NY have the highest cutoffs. And interestingly, kids do meet these cutoffs. |
Anonymous
Try being in DC -- whatever state has the highest cutoff is the cutoff in DC. No idea why DC is treated this way... There's no place harder to become a semifinalist than in DC, which is where my kid goes to school. |
Anonymous
Seriously? You want to see 99% of NMSF from a few states from east and CA? I understand your frustration but I think the current way is the right way. |
Anonymous
Locally, DC is one of the hardest too because it’s lumped in with Maryland. |
Anonymous
MD and VD typically have the same qualifying scores and DC is often a point or two higher than them. It's not lumped in. |
Anonymous
|
Assuming they wanted the same number of NMSF, if the cutoff was national, the cutoff number would not be much lower than the highest states, and it certainly would be much higher than the median.
Reality is, if your kid did not make it in a high score state, while there is a chance they would make it if it were national, it is still unlikely, because there are a mountain of kids right behind the high number in those top states which all have high populations. Be proud of being commended. It is a great accomplishment. |