So why does Wilson not have a single National Merit Semifinalist?

[Anonymous]

I personally know 3 of the finalists this year and I can assure you none of them prepped. They are just kids who seem to be naturally good at these sorts of timed tests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s simply not an environment that places as much of an emphasis on academic achievement as many other public and private schools in the area.

This is so not true. The real problem is that IB rich white kids (who tend to score better on the PSAT simply because they come from money) go to private school because they don't want to mix with poorer brown people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a semifinalist because I'm good at tests.

But that was 2 decades ago. Things are different now. I wouldn't expect to be a semifinalist without prepping. There are too many kids who have their eyes on the prize and will work their fingers to the bone to try and get it.

So why does no one at Wilson have their eye on the prize?

Because they can still get into Ivies without out it.

-- Signed current Wilson parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally know 3 of the finalists this year and I can assure you none of them prepped. They are just kids who seem to be naturally good at these sorts of timed tests.

What did you do -- spy on them day and night?

[Anonymous]

My kids have gone to school with them since K and I am friends with the families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally know 3 of the finalists this year and I can assure you none of them prepped. They are just kids who seem to be naturally good at these sorts of timed tests.

There's only semi-finalists yet this year. My sibling was a semi-finalist back 20 years ago. He did not prep at all for PSATs. No one prepped for PSATs back then at least, just during junior year for SATs (in our town, at least).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a semifinalist because I'm good at tests.

But that was 2 decades ago. Things are different now. I wouldn't expect to be a semifinalist without prepping. There are too many kids who have their eyes on the prize and will work their fingers to the bone to try and get it.

So why does no one at Wilson have their eye on the prize?

What prize? National Merit Semifinalist? Not necessary to get into top schools, including Ivies.

[Anonymous]

My daughter was a nation merit scholar. We didn't prep at all. She is just smart. And she tests well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because none of their 11th-grade students scored high enough on the PSAT to make the cut?

I know at least 2 of the SWW semifinalists live IB for Wilson; at least 1 of the BASIS semifinalists lives IB for Wilson. Surely some of the 45 private school semifinalists live IB for Wilson.

Students who are really bright, test well and come from upper middle-class homes have many school options and may decline to attend their IB comprehensive high school.

There are no SWW semifinalists this year either. Just BASIS for the non-private school semi-finalists.
https://patch.com/district-columbia/washingtondc/55-washington-dc-students-named-national-merit-semifinalists

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s simply not an environment that places as much of an emphasis on academic achievement as many other public and private schools in the area.

This is so not true. The real problem is that IB rich white kids (who tend to score better on the PSAT simply because they come from money) go to private school because they don't want to mix with poorer brown people.

There's plenty of rich white people in the Wilson catchment. Many of them are sending their kids to Wilson. Try another excuse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I looked at the past 3 years and they've had 1 student qualify over the past 3 school years total.
Why aren't more qualifying?

Because no one scored the cut-off score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because none of their 11th-grade students scored high enough on the PSAT to make the cut?

I know at least 2 of the SWW semifinalists live IB for Wilson; at least 1 of the BASIS semifinalists lives IB for Wilson. Surely some of the 45 private school semifinalists live IB for Wilson.

Students who are really bright, test well and come from upper middle-class homes have many school options and may decline to attend their IB comprehensive high school.

There are no SWW semifinalists this year either. Just BASIS for the non-private school semi-finalists.
https://patch.com/district-columbia/washingtondc/55-washington-dc-students-named-national-merit-semifinalists

There are 7 SWW students in ^^ this list. Look again.

[Anonymous]

I know 2 Wilson kids who are smarter than one of the private school kids on the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a semifinalist because I'm good at tests.

But that was 2 decades ago. Things are different now. I wouldn't expect to be a semifinalist without prepping. There are too many kids who have their eyes on the prize and will work their fingers to the bone to try and get it.

So why does no one at Wilson have their eye on the prize?

I was a finalist in 1990. I have 3 kids who are at/have gone through Wilson. One is at a top 10 university. Not even a semi finalist but clearly had eyes on the prize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally know 3 of the finalists this year and I can assure you none of them prepped. They are just kids who seem to be naturally good at these sorts of timed tests.

My DC is an MCPS finalist and did not prep. One and done.