National Merit Semifinalist for DMV Private Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't find the stat but at some point within the past 10 years or so there was a study that showed that NW DC (by zip code, if I remember correctly--maybe 20016?) had the highest average SAT in the nation. I remember reading about it on DCUM and then I successfully googled it; however, I can't find it today.

That would have been my guess without even reading a cite. Anyone living in WOTP NW DC should be able to figure this out - or not deserving of this stat!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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The way this works is all so screwy. My kid missed the cutoff in DC by one point. He would be a NMSF if he went to school in VA or MD. Doesn't seem to make much sense. Oh well...

Oh well indeed. He did not make the cut with his DC cohort. Everyone can find another cohort to make the cut with ... Alabama, Montana, or prison (GED)!!
What's so screwy about not making the bar in one's cohort?

Get a life folk. Be grateful for your own unique gifts.

It's not that he didn't make the cut in the DC cohort...for some random reason, the cutoff for DC is automatically the cutoff of the highest state. DC kids aren't compared to other DC kids. This year, they were compared to NJ kids, last year MD kids, etc. I don't understand why DC kids are held to this higher standard. It's not logical.

Sure it is.

Without this rule, the DC cut off would be even higher based on the relatively large number of extremely high scorers.

Tying DC to The highest state is giving DC a slight break.

This is sarcasm, right?
But in case it is not, DC cut-off would have been much much lower without tying it to the highest state.

No, it is true. If DC's segment were allocated by percentage of total graduating seniors in U.S. like the rest of the country, we would only have 16 NMSF, and the cut scores would be based on the top dozen or so test takers in DC. That would be a very high score. Using the highest state cut lets more DC kid qualify. DC usually has 30-40 when you use the current method, as opposed to the 16 we'd get under the state allocation method.

I understand what you are saying but the problem is the cut-off is not based on the top performers of the state but on the OVERALL performance of the state.
So if DC was a state, it would be allocated about 16 NMSFs but the cut-off would be lower.

That makes no sense. And it isn't correct. Why would the cut off be lower if only 16 were awarded?

The state by state qualifying score is set at whatever score will get them closest to having the right percentage of kids qualifying in each state based on the proportional rule, which usually works out to less than the top 1% of scores (the actual percentage varies year to year, and state to state). So DC's score would be set at whatever number was needed to only qualify ~16 students (including ties for the lowest of those). You seem to think the 16 kids who would have been the ones from whom the cut score was derived all would have scored lower than the current qualifying score -- which obviously isn't the case since more that 30 kids met the current qualifying score, ergo the top 16 of those kids likely had scores higher than the cut.

I think the actual percentage averages around <0.5% nationally (15,000 out of 3M+). So, "DC" does get more than that on average (some years 50+), but many of those are MD/VA residents. So, DC residents probably end up getting ~0.5 percent like the rest of the states.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The way this works is all so screwy. My kid missed the cutoff in DC by one point. He would be a NMSF if he went to school in VA or MD. Doesn't seem to make much sense. Oh well...

Oh well indeed. He did not make the cut with his DC cohort. Everyone can find another cohort to make the cut with ... Alabama, Montana, or prison (GED)!!
What's so screwy about not making the bar in one's cohort?

Get a life folk. Be grateful for your own unique gifts.

It's not that he didn't make the cut in the DC cohort...for some random reason, the cutoff for DC is automatically the cutoff of the highest state. DC kids aren't compared to other DC kids. This year, they were compared to NJ kids, last year MD kids, etc. I don't understand why DC kids are held to this higher standard. It's not logical.

Sure it is.

Without this rule, the DC cut off would be even higher based on the relatively large number of extremely high scorers.

Tying DC to The highest state is giving DC a slight break.

This is sarcasm, right?
But in case it is not, DC cut-off would have been much much lower without tying it to the highest state.

No, it is true. If DC's segment were allocated by percentage of total graduating seniors in U.S. like the rest of the country, we would only have 16 NMSF, and the cut scores would be based on the top dozen or so test takers in DC. That would be a very high score. Using the highest state cut lets more DC kid qualify. DC usually has 30-40 when you use the current method, as opposed to the 16 we'd get under the state allocation method.

I understand what you are saying but the problem is the cut-off is not based on the top performers of the state but on the OVERALL performance of the state.
So if DC was a state, it would be allocated about 16 NMSFs but the cut-off would be lower.

That makes no sense. And it isn't correct. Why would the cut off be lower if only 16 were awarded?

The state by state qualifying score is set at whatever score will get them closest to having the right percentage of kids qualifying in each state based on the proportional rule, which usually works out to less than the top 1% of scores (the actual percentage varies year to year, and state to state). So DC's score would be set at whatever number was needed to only qualify ~16 students (including ties for the lowest of those). You seem to think the 16 kids who would have been the ones from whom the cut score was derived all would have scored lower than the current qualifying score -- which obviously isn't the case since more that 30 kids met the current qualifying score, ergo the top 16 of those kids likely had scores higher than the cut.

The same way North Dakota and Wyoming have lower cut-off even though they are only awarded about the same amount.

There are way more high scoring kids in DC than in North Dakota or Wyoming.

And there are lot more low scoring kids in DC.

Which is completely irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The way this works is all so screwy. My kid missed the cutoff in DC by one point. He would be a NMSF if he went to school in VA or MD. Doesn't seem to make much sense. Oh well...

Oh well indeed. He did not make the cut with his DC cohort. Everyone can find another cohort to make the cut with ... Alabama, Montana, or prison (GED)!!
What's so screwy about not making the bar in one's cohort?

Get a life folk. Be grateful for your own unique gifts.

It's not that he didn't make the cut in the DC cohort...for some random reason, the cutoff for DC is automatically the cutoff of the highest state. DC kids aren't compared to other DC kids. This year, they were compared to NJ kids, last year MD kids, etc. I don't understand why DC kids are held to this higher standard. It's not logical.

Sure it is.

Without this rule, the DC cut off would be even higher based on the relatively large number of extremely high scorers.

Tying DC to The highest state is giving DC a slight break.

This is sarcasm, right?
But in case it is not, DC cut-off would have been much much lower without tying it to the highest state.

No, it is true. If DC's segment were allocated by percentage of total graduating seniors in U.S. like the rest of the country, we would only have 16 NMSF, and the cut scores would be based on the top dozen or so test takers in DC. That would be a very high score. Using the highest state cut lets more DC kid qualify. DC usually has 30-40 when you use the current method, as opposed to the 16 we'd get under the state allocation method.

I understand what you are saying but the problem is the cut-off is not based on the top performers of the state but on the OVERALL performance of the state.
So if DC was a state, it would be allocated about 16 NMSFs but the cut-off would be lower.

That makes no sense. And it isn't correct. Why would the cut off be lower if only 16 were awarded?

The state by state qualifying score is set at whatever score will get them closest to having the right percentage of kids qualifying in each state based on the proportional rule, which usually works out to less than the top 1% of scores (the actual percentage varies year to year, and state to state). So DC's score would be set at whatever number was needed to only qualify ~16 students (including ties for the lowest of those). You seem to think the 16 kids who would have been the ones from whom the cut score was derived all would have scored lower than the current qualifying score -- which obviously isn't the case since more that 30 kids met the current qualifying score, ergo the top 16 of those kids likely had scores higher than the cut.

The same way North Dakota and Wyoming have lower cut-off even though they are only awarded about the same amount.

There are way more high scoring kids in DC than in North Dakota or Wyoming.

And there are lot more low scoring kids in DC.

DC is one of the hardest states to qualify for NMS even if you are very smart (#2 hardest in the Country).

Hardest States to Qualify as a National Merit Finalist in 2021
The following lists are based on historic numbers and expected cutoffs.

California: 222
District of Columbia: 222
Maryland: 222
Massachusetts: 222
New Jersey: 222
Virginia: 221
Washington: 221
Connecticut: 220
Delaware: 220
New York: 220
Texas: 220

Easiest States to Qualify as National Merit Semifinalist 2021 (based on expected cut-offs)
Alabama: 213
Arkansas: 213
Louisiana: 213
Mississippi: 213
New Mexico: 213
Oklahoma: 213
Utah: 213
Montana: 212
South Dakota: 211
Wyoming: 211
North Dakota : 210
West Virginia: 210
Oklahoma: 210 (confirmed)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The way this works is all so screwy. My kid missed the cutoff in DC by one point. He would be a NMSF if he went to school in VA or MD. Doesn't seem to make much sense. Oh well...

Oh well indeed. He did not make the cut with his DC cohort. Everyone can find another cohort to make the cut with ... Alabama, Montana, or prison (GED)!!
What's so screwy about not making the bar in one's cohort?

Get a life folk. Be grateful for your own unique gifts.

It's not that he didn't make the cut in the DC cohort...for some random reason, the cutoff for DC is automatically the cutoff of the highest state. DC kids aren't compared to other DC kids. This year, they were compared to NJ kids, last year MD kids, etc. I don't understand why DC kids are held to this higher standard. It's not logical.

Sure it is.

Without this rule, the DC cut off would be even higher based on the relatively large number of extremely high scorers.

Tying DC to The highest state is giving DC a slight break.

This is sarcasm, right?
But in case it is not, DC cut-off would have been much much lower without tying it to the highest state.

No, it is true. If DC's segment were allocated by percentage of total graduating seniors in U.S. like the rest of the country, we would only have 16 NMSF, and the cut scores would be based on the top dozen or so test takers in DC. That would be a very high score. Using the highest state cut lets more DC kid qualify. DC usually has 30-40 when you use the current method, as opposed to the 16 we'd get under the state allocation method.

I understand what you are saying but the problem is the cut-off is not based on the top performers of the state but on the OVERALL performance of the state.
So if DC was a state, it would be allocated about 16 NMSFs but the cut-off would be lower.

That makes no sense. And it isn't correct. Why would the cut off be lower if only 16 were awarded?

The state by state qualifying score is set at whatever score will get them closest to having the right percentage of kids qualifying in each state based on the proportional rule, which usually works out to less than the top 1% of scores (the actual percentage varies year to year, and state to state). So DC's score would be set at whatever number was needed to only qualify ~16 students (including ties for the lowest of those). You seem to think the 16 kids who would have been the ones from whom the cut score was derived all would have scored lower than the current qualifying score -- which obviously isn't the case since more that 30 kids met the current qualifying score, ergo the top 16 of those kids likely had scores higher than the cut.

The same way North Dakota and Wyoming have lower cut-off even though they are only awarded about the same amount.

There are way more high scoring kids in DC than in North Dakota or Wyoming.

And there are lot more low scoring kids in DC.

DC is one of the hardest states to qualify for NMS even if you are very smart (#2 hardest in the Country).

Hardest States to Qualify as a National Merit Finalist in 2021
The following lists are based on historic numbers and expected cutoffs.

California: 222
District of Columbia: 222
Maryland: 222
Massachusetts: 222
New Jersey: 222
Virginia: 221
Washington: 221
Connecticut: 220
Delaware: 220
New York: 220
Texas: 220

Easiest States to Qualify as National Merit Semifinalist 2021 (based on expected cut-offs)
Alabama: 213
Arkansas: 213
Louisiana: 213
Mississippi: 213
New Mexico: 213
Oklahoma: 213
Utah: 213
Montana: 212
South Dakota: 211
Wyoming: 211
North Dakota : 210
West Virginia: 210
Oklahoma: 210 (confirmed)

That's because DC is always lumped with the highest state.
Duh!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The way this works is all so screwy. My kid missed the cutoff in DC by one point. He would be a NMSF if he went to school in VA or MD. Doesn't seem to make much sense. Oh well...

Oh well indeed. He did not make the cut with his DC cohort. Everyone can find another cohort to make the cut with ... Alabama, Montana, or prison (GED)!!
What's so screwy about not making the bar in one's cohort?

Get a life folk. Be grateful for your own unique gifts.

It's not that he didn't make the cut in the DC cohort...for some random reason, the cutoff for DC is automatically the cutoff of the highest state. DC kids aren't compared to other DC kids. This year, they were compared to NJ kids, last year MD kids, etc. I don't understand why DC kids are held to this higher standard. It's not logical.

Sure it is.

Without this rule, the DC cut off would be even higher based on the relatively large number of extremely high scorers.

Tying DC to The highest state is giving DC a slight break.

This is sarcasm, right?
But in case it is not, DC cut-off would have been much much lower without tying it to the highest state.

No, it is true. If DC's segment were allocated by percentage of total graduating seniors in U.S. like the rest of the country, we would only have 16 NMSF, and the cut scores would be based on the top dozen or so test takers in DC. That would be a very high score. Using the highest state cut lets more DC kid qualify. DC usually has 30-40 when you use the current method, as opposed to the 16 we'd get under the state allocation method.

I understand what you are saying but the problem is the cut-off is not based on the top performers of the state but on the OVERALL performance of the state.
So if DC was a state, it would be allocated about 16 NMSFs but the cut-off would be lower.

That makes no sense. And it isn't correct. Why would the cut off be lower if only 16 were awarded?

The state by state qualifying score is set at whatever score will get them closest to having the right percentage of kids qualifying in each state based on the proportional rule, which usually works out to less than the top 1% of scores (the actual percentage varies year to year, and state to state). So DC's score would be set at whatever number was needed to only qualify ~16 students (including ties for the lowest of those). You seem to think the 16 kids who would have been the ones from whom the cut score was derived all would have scored lower than the current qualifying score -- which obviously isn't the case since more that 30 kids met the current qualifying score, ergo the top 16 of those kids likely had scores higher than the cut.

The same way North Dakota and Wyoming have lower cut-off even though they are only awarded about the same amount.

There are way more high scoring kids in DC than in North Dakota or Wyoming.

And there are lot more low scoring kids in DC.

DC is one of the hardest states to qualify for NMS even if you are very smart (#2 hardest in the Country).

Hardest States to Qualify as a National Merit Finalist in 2021
The following lists are based on historic numbers and expected cutoffs.

California: 222
District of Columbia: 222
Maryland: 222
Massachusetts: 222
New Jersey: 222
Virginia: 221
Washington: 221
Connecticut: 220
Delaware: 220
New York: 220
Texas: 220

Easiest States to Qualify as National Merit Semifinalist 2021 (based on expected cut-offs)
Alabama: 213
Arkansas: 213
Louisiana: 213
Mississippi: 213
New Mexico: 213
Oklahoma: 213
Utah: 213
Montana: 212
South Dakota: 211
Wyoming: 211
North Dakota : 210
West Virginia: 210
Oklahoma: 210 (confirmed)

Why DC is "#2 hardest in the Country"? If DC automatically gets the highest cutoff every year, it is ALWAYS the #1 hardest in the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The way this works is all so screwy. My kid missed the cutoff in DC by one point. He would be a NMSF if he went to school in VA or MD. Doesn't seem to make much sense. Oh well...

Oh well indeed. He did not make the cut with his DC cohort. Everyone can find another cohort to make the cut with ... Alabama, Montana, or prison (GED)!!
What's so screwy about not making the bar in one's cohort?

Get a life folk. Be grateful for your own unique gifts.

It's not that he didn't make the cut in the DC cohort...for some random reason, the cutoff for DC is automatically the cutoff of the highest state. DC kids aren't compared to other DC kids. This year, they were compared to NJ kids, last year MD kids, etc. I don't understand why DC kids are held to this higher standard. It's not logical.

Sure it is.

Without this rule, the DC cut off would be even higher based on the relatively large number of extremely high scorers.

Tying DC to The highest state is giving DC a slight break.

This is sarcasm, right?
But in case it is not, DC cut-off would have been much much lower without tying it to the highest state.

No, it is true. If DC's segment were allocated by percentage of total graduating seniors in U.S. like the rest of the country, we would only have 16 NMSF, and the cut scores would be based on the top dozen or so test takers in DC. That would be a very high score. Using the highest state cut lets more DC kid qualify. DC usually has 30-40 when you use the current method, as opposed to the 16 we'd get under the state allocation method.

I understand what you are saying but the problem is the cut-off is not based on the top performers of the state but on the OVERALL performance of the state.
So if DC was a state, it would be allocated about 16 NMSFs but the cut-off would be lower.

That makes no sense. And it isn't correct. Why would the cut off be lower if only 16 were awarded?

The state by state qualifying score is set at whatever score will get them closest to having the right percentage of kids qualifying in each state based on the proportional rule, which usually works out to less than the top 1% of scores (the actual percentage varies year to year, and state to state). So DC's score would be set at whatever number was needed to only qualify ~16 students (including ties for the lowest of those). You seem to think the 16 kids who would have been the ones from whom the cut score was derived all would have scored lower than the current qualifying score -- which obviously isn't the case since more that 30 kids met the current qualifying score, ergo the top 16 of those kids likely had scores higher than the cut.

The same way North Dakota and Wyoming have lower cut-off even though they are only awarded about the same amount.

There are way more high scoring kids in DC than in North Dakota or Wyoming.

And there are lot more low scoring kids in DC.

DC is one of the hardest states to qualify for NMS even if you are very smart (#2 hardest in the Country).

Hardest States to Qualify as a National Merit Finalist in 2021
The following lists are based on historic numbers and expected cutoffs.

California: 222
District of Columbia: 222
Maryland: 222
Massachusetts: 222
New Jersey: 222
Virginia: 221
Washington: 221
Connecticut: 220
Delaware: 220
New York: 220
Texas: 220

Easiest States to Qualify as National Merit Semifinalist 2021 (based on expected cut-offs)
Alabama: 213
Arkansas: 213
Louisiana: 213
Mississippi: 213
New Mexico: 213
Oklahoma: 213
Utah: 213
Montana: 212
South Dakota: 211
Wyoming: 211
North Dakota : 210
West Virginia: 210
Oklahoma: 210 (confirmed)

Why DC is "#2 hardest in the Country"? If DC automatically gets the highest cutoff every year, it is ALWAYS the #1 hardest in the country.

Why do you use 2021 cutoff when 2022 cutoff is available?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Andover - 2
Philips Exeter -8
Dalton -13
Chapin - 1

Wow

Andover High School (public) has 2
Phillips Academy has 11

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The way this works is all so screwy. My kid missed the cutoff in DC by one point. He would be a NMSF if he went to school in VA or MD. Doesn't seem to make much sense. Oh well...

Oh well indeed. He did not make the cut with his DC cohort. Everyone can find another cohort to make the cut with ... Alabama, Montana, or prison (GED)!!
What's so screwy about not making the bar in one's cohort?

Get a life folk. Be grateful for your own unique gifts.

It's not that he didn't make the cut in the DC cohort...for some random reason, the cutoff for DC is automatically the cutoff of the highest state. DC kids aren't compared to other DC kids. This year, they were compared to NJ kids, last year MD kids, etc. I don't understand why DC kids are held to this higher standard. It's not logical.

Sure it is.

Without this rule, the DC cut off would be even higher based on the relatively large number of extremely high scorers.

Tying DC to The highest state is giving DC a slight break.

This is sarcasm, right?
But in case it is not, DC cut-off would have been much much lower without tying it to the highest state.

No, it is true. If DC's segment were allocated by percentage of total graduating seniors in U.S. like the rest of the country, we would only have 16 NMSF, and the cut scores would be based on the top dozen or so test takers in DC. That would be a very high score. Using the highest state cut lets more DC kid qualify. DC usually has 30-40 when you use the current method, as opposed to the 16 we'd get under the state allocation method.

I understand what you are saying but the problem is the cut-off is not based on the top performers of the state but on the OVERALL performance of the state.
So if DC was a state, it would be allocated about 16 NMSFs but the cut-off would be lower.

That makes no sense. And it isn't correct. Why would the cut off be lower if only 16 were awarded?

The state by state qualifying score is set at whatever score will get them closest to having the right percentage of kids qualifying in each state based on the proportional rule, which usually works out to less than the top 1% of scores (the actual percentage varies year to year, and state to state). So DC's score would be set at whatever number was needed to only qualify ~16 students (including ties for the lowest of those). You seem to think the 16 kids who would have been the ones from whom the cut score was derived all would have scored lower than the current qualifying score -- which obviously isn't the case since more that 30 kids met the current qualifying score, ergo the top 16 of those kids likely had scores higher than the cut.

The same way North Dakota and Wyoming have lower cut-off even though they are only awarded about the same amount.

There are way more high scoring kids in DC than in North Dakota or Wyoming.

And there are lot more low scoring kids in DC.

DC is one of the hardest states to qualify for NMS even if you are very smart (#2 hardest in the Country).

Hardest States to Qualify as a National Merit Finalist in 2021
The following lists are based on historic numbers and expected cutoffs.

California: 222
District of Columbia: 222
Maryland: 222
Massachusetts: 222
New Jersey: 222
Virginia: 221
Washington: 221
Connecticut: 220
Delaware: 220
New York: 220
Texas: 220

Easiest States to Qualify as National Merit Semifinalist 2021 (based on expected cut-offs)
Alabama: 213
Arkansas: 213
Louisiana: 213
Mississippi: 213
New Mexico: 213
Oklahoma: 213
Utah: 213
Montana: 212
South Dakota: 211
Wyoming: 211
North Dakota : 210
West Virginia: 210
Oklahoma: 210 (confirmed)

Why DC is "#2 hardest in the Country"? If DC automatically gets the highest cutoff every year, it is ALWAYS the #1 hardest in the country.

Why do you use 2021 cutoff when 2022 cutoff is available?

My guess is its the same person who keeps saying MD is always in the top slot (it isn't).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The way this works is all so screwy. My kid missed the cutoff in DC by one point. He would be a NMSF if he went to school in VA or MD. Doesn't seem to make much sense. Oh well...

Oh well indeed. He did not make the cut with his DC cohort. Everyone can find another cohort to make the cut with ... Alabama, Montana, or prison (GED)!!
What's so screwy about not making the bar in one's cohort?

Get a life folk. Be grateful for your own unique gifts.

It's not that he didn't make the cut in the DC cohort...for some random reason, the cutoff for DC is automatically the cutoff of the highest state. DC kids aren't compared to other DC kids. This year, they were compared to NJ kids, last year MD kids, etc. I don't understand why DC kids are held to this higher standard. It's not logical.

Sure it is.

Without this rule, the DC cut off would be even higher based on the relatively large number of extremely high scorers.

Tying DC to The highest state is giving DC a slight break.

This is sarcasm, right?
But in case it is not, DC cut-off would have been much much lower without tying it to the highest state.

No, it is true. If DC's segment were allocated by percentage of total graduating seniors in U.S. like the rest of the country, we would only have 16 NMSF, and the cut scores would be based on the top dozen or so test takers in DC. That would be a very high score. Using the highest state cut lets more DC kid qualify. DC usually has 30-40 when you use the current method, as opposed to the 16 we'd get under the state allocation method.

I understand what you are saying but the problem is the cut-off is not based on the top performers of the state but on the OVERALL performance of the state.
So if DC was a state, it would be allocated about 16 NMSFs but the cut-off would be lower.

That makes no sense. And it isn't correct. Why would the cut off be lower if only 16 were awarded?

The state by state qualifying score is set at whatever score will get them closest to having the right percentage of kids qualifying in each state based on the proportional rule, which usually works out to less than the top 1% of scores (the actual percentage varies year to year, and state to state). So DC's score would be set at whatever number was needed to only qualify ~16 students (including ties for the lowest of those). You seem to think the 16 kids who would have been the ones from whom the cut score was derived all would have scored lower than the current qualifying score -- which obviously isn't the case since more that 30 kids met the current qualifying score, ergo the top 16 of those kids likely had scores higher than the cut.

The same way North Dakota and Wyoming have lower cut-off even though they are only awarded about the same amount.

There are way more high scoring kids in DC than in North Dakota or Wyoming.

And there are lot more low scoring kids in DC.

DC is one of the hardest states to qualify for NMS even if you are very smart (#2 hardest in the Country).

Hardest States to Qualify as a National Merit Finalist in 2021
The following lists are based on historic numbers and expected cutoffs.

California: 222
District of Columbia: 222
Maryland: 222
Massachusetts: 222
New Jersey: 222
Virginia: 221
Washington: 221
Connecticut: 220
Delaware: 220
New York: 220
Texas: 220

Easiest States to Qualify as National Merit Semifinalist 2021 (based on expected cut-offs)
Alabama: 213
Arkansas: 213
Louisiana: 213
Mississippi: 213
New Mexico: 213
Oklahoma: 213
Utah: 213
Montana: 212
South Dakota: 211
Wyoming: 211
North Dakota : 210
West Virginia: 210
Oklahoma: 210 (confirmed)

Why DC is "#2 hardest in the Country"? If DC automatically gets the highest cutoff every year, it is ALWAYS the #1 hardest in the country.

Why do you use 2021 cutoff when 2022 cutoff is available?

My guess is its the same person who keeps saying MD is always in the top slot (it isn't).

Makes sense. NJ is the highest state for 2022.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Andover - 2
Philips Exeter -8
Dalton -13
Chapin - 1

Wow

Andover High School (public) has 2
Phillips Academy has 11

LOL.

Philip Smith Executive High School in Des Moines has 0, by the way.

[Anonymous]

A lot of our private schools have no kids who are semifinalists. Obviously, it is not the end all be all, but for the amount of many we pay, shouldn’t we have more? None from GP, Landon, Bullis- yikes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don’t the T30 (Ivys, S, MIT, top SLACs, etc) simply fill their schools with these high performers rather than affirmative action for Whites and all the rest?

Maybe because, while a deserved honor, this practice test in 11th grade is not the full sum of who a student is?

+1. And that also goes for SAT/ACT.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The way this works is all so screwy. My kid missed the cutoff in DC by one point. He would be a NMSF if he went to school in VA or MD. Doesn't seem to make much sense. Oh well...

Oh well indeed. He did not make the cut with his DC cohort. Everyone can find another cohort to make the cut with ... Alabama, Montana, or prison (GED)!!
What's so screwy about not making the bar in one's cohort?

Get a life folk. Be grateful for your own unique gifts.

It's not that he didn't make the cut in the DC cohort...for some random reason, the cutoff for DC is automatically the cutoff of the highest state. DC kids aren't compared to other DC kids. This year, they were compared to NJ kids, last year MD kids, etc. I don't understand why DC kids are held to this higher standard. It's not logical.

Sure it is.

Without this rule, the DC cut off would be even higher based on the relatively large number of extremely high scorers.

Tying DC to The highest state is giving DC a slight break.

This is sarcasm, right?
But in case it is not, DC cut-off would have been much much lower without tying it to the highest state.

No, it is true. If DC's segment were allocated by percentage of total graduating seniors in U.S. like the rest of the country, we would only have 16 NMSF, and the cut scores would be based on the top dozen or so test takers in DC. That would be a very high score. Using the highest state cut lets more DC kid qualify. DC usually has 30-40 when you use the current method, as opposed to the 16 we'd get under the state allocation method.

I understand what you are saying but the problem is the cut-off is not based on the top performers of the state but on the OVERALL performance of the state.
So if DC was a state, it would be allocated about 16 NMSFs but the cut-off would be lower.

That makes no sense. And it isn't correct. Why would the cut off be lower if only 16 were awarded?

The state by state qualifying score is set at whatever score will get them closest to having the right percentage of kids qualifying in each state based on the proportional rule, which usually works out to less than the top 1% of scores (the actual percentage varies year to year, and state to state). So DC's score would be set at whatever number was needed to only qualify ~16 students (including ties for the lowest of those). You seem to think the 16 kids who would have been the ones from whom the cut score was derived all would have scored lower than the current qualifying score -- which obviously isn't the case since more that 30 kids met the current qualifying score, ergo the top 16 of those kids likely had scores higher than the cut.

The same way North Dakota and Wyoming have lower cut-off even though they are only awarded about the same amount.

There are way more high scoring kids in DC than in North Dakota or Wyoming.

And there are lot more low scoring kids in DC.

DC is one of the hardest states to qualify for NMS even if you are very smart (#2 hardest in the Country).

Hardest States to Qualify as a National Merit Finalist in 2021
The following lists are based on historic numbers and expected cutoffs.

California: 222
District of Columbia: 222
Maryland: 222
Massachusetts: 222
New Jersey: 222
Virginia: 221
Washington: 221
Connecticut: 220
Delaware: 220
New York: 220
Texas: 220

Easiest States to Qualify as National Merit Semifinalist 2021 (based on expected cut-offs)
Alabama: 213
Arkansas: 213
Louisiana: 213
Mississippi: 213
New Mexico: 213
Oklahoma: 213
Utah: 213
Montana: 212
South Dakota: 211
Wyoming: 211
North Dakota : 210
West Virginia: 210
Oklahoma: 210 (confirmed)

Why DC is "#2 hardest in the Country"? If DC automatically gets the highest cutoff every year, it is ALWAYS the #1 hardest in the country.

The states that are tied are listed in alphabetical order. DC is not #2. It's tied for #1 with 4 other states.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't find the stat but at some point within the past 10 years or so there was a study that showed that NW DC (by zip code, if I remember correctly--maybe 20016?) had the highest average SAT in the nation. I remember reading about it on DCUM and then I successfully googled it; however, I can't find it today.

previous poster again.

OK, the stat is that DC had the Highest average SAT score for WHITE students in the United States (~1250) . And the biggest white/black SAT gap.

Here is the average SAT scores by ethnicity for entire US. From 2021.

American Indian/Alaska Native 927
Asian 1239
Black/African American 934
Hispanic/Latino 967
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 50
White 1112
Two or More Races 1116