National Merit list?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For what it's worth, in the College Discussion forum of DCUM a poster said s/he has access to the full area list and gave some numbers for area private schools. Unverified as of yet but the MD numbers were borne out by the MoCo County list which is publicly available:

This is per the other poster (unverified):
Sidwell 16
St. Albans 6
Potomac 5
NCS 4
St. John's 4
GDS 3
Maret 3
WIS 2
Holton 2
Georgetown Visitation 1

Other private school numbers (verified) from the publicly available MoCo list:
Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School 6
Georgetown Prep 1
The Heights 1
Stone Ridge 1
Bullis 0

Before people wig out too much, remember that last year, for example, GDS had 11 semifinalists compared to 6 to Sidwell. With sample sizes this small the totals shift year by year.


Landon 0


************


No surprise this metric is analogous to the very average athletic talent at these boutique shops.

Incoherent.

[Anonymous]

Sorry re, your poor comprehension. I get it.

[Anonymous]

Potomac isn't too bad athletics-wise. How many kids are in a class?

[Anonymous]

Also St. John's? They are probably bigger than the other schools so a lower proportion of the kids are NMSF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No it isn't.

Oops, sorry that was last year's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also St. John's? They are probably bigger than the other schools so a lower proportion of the kids are NMSF.

True but it's still something to see Prep with 1 vs SJC with 4. Doesn't SJC have a sort of honors program? Are they offering any merit money?

[Anonymous]

How about Gonzaga. SJC has an honors program that I've heard gives merit money. What's Wilson's NMSF numbers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Potomac isn't too bad athletics-wise. How many kids are in a class?

I think around 100? Not sure though. It is true that graduating class size is relevant. Sidwell's percentage works out to about 13% which is also tops for the privates this year; last year Sidwell's percentage about 5%. These things vary by year but Sidwell often w/top private school percentage. Sometimes GDS, sometimes STA.

[Anonymous]

The take home message from these lists is save the random and occasional blips it's a rare sighting for an important consistent presence from the D.C. area private secondary schools.

[Anonymous]

Makes sense. Sidwell seems more academic than athletic. It's probably the most selective school in DMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The take home message from these lists is save the random and occasional blips it's a rare sighting for an important consistent presence from the D.C. area private secondary schools.

True. I guess the question I want to ask is how do these schools get so many kids into top colleges and universities? Honestly if I have a kid who is not TJ/Blair material and he gets into STA or Sidwell, he has a good shot at getting into a nationally ranked University or SLAC. Maybe I would cough up $40,000 to see if he could into UVA and W&M.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about Gonzaga. SJC has an honors program that I've heard gives merit money. What's Wilson's NMSF numbers?

The poster on the other thread did not list Gonzaga, as I recall. (Usually the Washington Post puts up a link to a list for the DMV at some point and at that point people should be able to get more information. ) I believe the poster said that Woodrow Wilson high school had 2 semifinalists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The take home message from these lists is save the random and occasional blips it's a rare sighting for an important consistent presence from the D.C. area private secondary schools.

True. I guess the question I want to ask is how do these schools get so many kids into top colleges and universities? Honestly if I have a kid who is not TJ/Blair material and he gets into STA or Sidwell, he has a good shot at getting into a nationally ranked University or SLAC. Maybe I would cough up $40,000 to see if he could into UVA and W&M.

Do not forget that this is based on the PSAT score. Many kids do a LOT of SAT prep and/or take the ACT, so they tend to have very high board scores by the time they actually apply for admission. And in good college counseling; many legacy parents; good teacher rec letters; sports recruiting; and the college results for a place like Sidwell, NCS, or Saint Albans, or GDS, or Potomac, or Holton, are really quite good across the board.

[Anonymous]

True. I guess the question I want to ask is how do these schools get so many kids into top colleges and universities? Honestly if I have a kid who is not TJ/Blair material and he gets into STA or Sidwell, he has a good shot at getting into a nationally ranked University or SLAC. Maybe I would cough up $40,000 to see if he could into UVA and W&M.

A kid from RMIB/BLair magnet/TJ doesn't need Big 3 to get to college (HYPSM)...that's a step backwards. They need pedigree, legacy and/or big donor status to cement the deal!

These kids, without the latter, a far better staying where they are ... at the top of the academic heap!

[Anonymous]

True. I guess the question I want to ask is how do these schools get so many kids into top colleges and universities? Honestly if I have a kid who is not TJ/Blair material and he gets into STA or Sidwell, he has a good shot at getting into a nationally ranked University or SLAC. Maybe I would cough up $40,000 to see if he could into UVA and W&M.

The majority of kids getting into the schools you desire ("Ivy") from DC privates are getting in because of hooks: legacy, pedigree, boutique sports/athletics, and money/donor/benefaction...as opposed to matters overhelmingly supratentorial or above the clavicle.

The unhooked RMIB/Blair magnet/TJ are getting in largely for the latter exploits!