NMSFs Class of 2023 (MCPS)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Sadly yes. You can get five wrong on math and still be a NMSF but only three wrong on verbal. My DC had perfect math and same total score as many who are NMSF yet DC is only commended. Completely unfair."

DC did not make the cut with his cohort. That is a fact. Accept it. Rationalization to put him in another cohort in Mississippi or West Virginia so DC has the label NMSF is foolhardy. Get a life. We all know about varying regional metrics. We know the difference between the Pros, and Division 1 vs Division 3 all star accolades. Get a life. DC failed to make the cut in his division or cohort. That is the fact not that he "would have(?)" been an all star NMSF with another division or cohort. Everyone one I think understands this process.

I’m not arguing about kids in different states. I’m talking about two kids in the same school who both get a 1470/1520. One gets perfect verbal and 5 math wrong and is NMSF. The other gets perfect math and 5 verbal wrong and is commended. Yes, that is the system that is set up. But that doesn’t mean it’s right or fair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Usually sone non magnet & cap students at Blair at NMSF. RM’s numbers have been going down & surprising since English is doubled!

Not necessarily, DD on the RM list has higher math scores than reading

[Anonymous]

I’m not arguing about kids in different states. I’m talking about two kids in the same school who both get a 1470/1520. One gets perfect verbal and 5 math wrong and is NMSF. The other gets perfect math and 5 verbal wrong and is commended. Yes, that is the system that is set up. But that doesn’t mean it’s right or fair.

It is fair and equitable since students know the weights given to different types of questions. As an example, a fill in the blank question response vs. an essay response may have different weights thus a strategic thinking student using brain power will apportion time and effort to attain the highest score. Since the verbal and math attributes have different weights part of assessment is the capability to understand and grasp this concept thereby making appropriate adjustments. That’s an inherent part of the test. Some get it and others don’t. C’est la vie!

[Anonymous]

DC did not make the cut with his cohort. That is a fact. Accept it. Rationalization to put him in another cohort in Mississippi or West Virginia so DC has the label NMSF is foolhardy. Get a life. We all know about varying regional metrics. We know the difference between the Pros, and Division 1 vs Division 3 all star accolades. Get a life. DC failed to make the cut in his division or cohort. That is the fact not that he "would have(?)" been an all star NMSF with another division or cohort. Everyone one I think understands this process.

[Anonymous]

Yes, the verbal questions are weighted differently than the math items. Even if the College Board give them equal weights (despite the verbal being more difficult for the average student) the College Board through modeling and simulation would likely construct a test with 3 times the number of verbal than math questions and get the same result for your child. That change is fair if they are transparent about the weighting and assessment metric. The bottom line is you can’t satisfy everybody but you can try to set up a fair and even playing field without playing to your specific child’s strength as the arbiter for fairness

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d be interested to also see the number of commended scholars per school.

rather surprised by Blair's number !

Blair again shows that is head and shoulders above the rest!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Sadly yes. You can get five wrong on math and still be a NMSF but only three wrong on verbal. My DC had perfect math and same total score as many who are NMSF yet DC is only commended. Completely unfair."

DC did not make the cut with his cohort. That is a fact. Accept it. Rationalization to put him in another cohort in Mississippi or West Virginia so DC has the label NMSF is foolhardy. Get a life. We all know about varying regional metrics. We know the difference between the Pros, and Division 1 vs Division 3 all star accolades. Get a life. DC failed to make the cut in his division or cohort. That is the fact not that he "would have(?)" been an all star NMSF with another division or cohort. Everyone one I think understands this process.

I’m not arguing about kids in different states. I’m talking about two kids in the same school who both get a 1470/1520. One gets perfect verbal and 5 math wrong and is NMSF. The other gets perfect math and 5 verbal wrong and is commended. Yes, that is the system that is set up. But that doesn’t mean it’s right or fair.

How is it not fair? That’s literally how the test is graded, transparently and objectively.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back in the dark ages when I took the PSAT, the score on the verbal section was weighted to count for twice the math score.

Is that still the case?

Sadly yes. You can get five wrong on math and still be a NMSF but only three wrong on verbal. My DC had perfect math and same total score as many who are NMSF yet DC is only commended. Completely unfair.

Similar situation here. Oh well. That's life!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s a very simple reason for this. It’s very rare to have perfect PSAT scores; usually these kids have been doing tutoring and taking practice tests for years. They are the same kids who did tutoring and practice tests in 8th grade to get into either Blair, RM, or Poolesville. So there are very few kids left at the “regular” high schools who are in this category.

Mostly, yes. I'm a Blair magnet (grad) mom. My kid did self study with a prep book, but some kids did full classes. But, some didn't do specific prep. Many have had so much enrichment (plus the math they do is far beyond), they are already well prepared.

I will say, mine applied to Blair under the old system (now in college), and many kids did classes specifically designed for that admissions test. A++, I think?

The cutoff is way below perfect score, which is 228, it is not that hard to be nmsf, don’t think it takes that much prep for magnet kids

Many of these kids have been prepping over the long haul. Also, it was 224 when my kid was there. So, not exactly "way below" Some parents take not chances. It's like they have a system or recipe.

Any many of these kids are super super bright, a fact you need to face and stop downplaying it because it's all just the prepping. My kid is not a NMSF, yet got a really great score by looking a the paper booklet the evening prior to the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair 48
Richard Montgomery 24
Churchill 18
Poolesville 16
Whitman 11
Wootton 10
Walter Johnson 9
B-CC 5
Sherwood 2
Magruder 1
Northwest 1
Springbrook 1
Wheaton 1
Blake 0
Clarksburg 0
Damascus 0
Einstein 0
Gaithersburg 0
Kennedy 0
Northwood 0
Paint Branch 0
Quince Orchard 0
Rockville 0
Seneca Valley 0
Watkins Mill 0

Why is Blair so much better?

Excellent magnet program full of bright kids.

If a pp is correct, STEM magnet = 48. Rest of school = 0.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair 48
Richard Montgomery 24
Churchill 18
Poolesville 16
Whitman 11
Wootton 10
Walter Johnson 9
B-CC 5
Sherwood 2
Magruder 1
Northwest 1
Springbrook 1
Wheaton 1
Blake 0
Clarksburg 0
Damascus 0
Einstein 0
Gaithersburg 0
Kennedy 0
Northwood 0
Paint Branch 0
Quince Orchard 0
Rockville 0
Seneca Valley 0
Watkins Mill 0

Why is Blair so much better?

Excellent magnet program full of bright kids.

If a pp is correct, STEM magnet = 48. Rest of school = 0.

Blair has multiple magnet programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair 48
Richard Montgomery 24
Churchill 18
Poolesville 16
Whitman 11
Wootton 10
Walter Johnson 9
B-CC 5
Sherwood 2
Magruder 1
Northwest 1
Springbrook 1
Wheaton 1
Blake 0
Clarksburg 0
Damascus 0
Einstein 0
Gaithersburg 0
Kennedy 0
Northwood 0
Paint Branch 0
Quince Orchard 0
Rockville 0
Seneca Valley 0
Watkins Mill 0

Why is Blair so much better?

Excellent magnet program full of bright kids.

If a pp is correct, STEM magnet = 48. Rest of school = 0.

I don't know that it was just magnet. I know a parent thought it was based on their kid's perusal, but mine just graduated, and every year there are a few CAP and/or non mag kids on the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair 48
Richard Montgomery 24
Churchill 18
Poolesville 16
Whitman 11
Wootton 10
Walter Johnson 9
B-CC 5
Sherwood 2
Magruder 1
Northwest 1
Springbrook 1
Wheaton 1
Blake 0
Clarksburg 0
Damascus 0
Einstein 0
Gaithersburg 0
Kennedy 0
Northwood 0
Paint Branch 0
Quince Orchard 0
Rockville 0
Seneca Valley 0
Watkins Mill 0

Why is Blair so much better?

Because they bus most of the great test takers form all the richest areas of you county into that school to prop up its numbers. All the NMSF are from that program and all but a few of those don’t have Blair as their home school. Most likely none of the winner would have gone to Blair other wise

[Anonymous]

You see how easy it is to get a perfect math score for high school students taking a middle school level test!

Prep or no prep BS low intelligent parents keep harping about. Get a life. The math is not differential equations BUT middle school level difficulty. Why the hell do 10s of thousands get perfect scores.

On the Duke tip or CTY SAT math in fact so many middle school students get perfect scores on the harder SAT and ACT math sections.

This is really not a high bar to spend an inordinate time complaining about fairness. Good lord, the math section is so easy for a bright lad or lass!

Get a life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s a very simple reason for this. It’s very rare to have perfect PSAT scores; usually these kids have been doing tutoring and taking practice tests for years. They are the same kids who did tutoring and practice tests in 8th grade to get into either Blair, RM, or Poolesville. So there are very few kids left at the “regular” high schools who are in this category.

Mostly, yes. I'm a Blair magnet (grad) mom. My kid did self study with a prep book, but some kids did full classes. But, some didn't do specific prep. Many have had so much enrichment (plus the math they do is far beyond), they are already well prepared.

I will say, mine applied to Blair under the old system (now in college), and many kids did classes specifically designed for that admissions test. A++, I think?

The cutoff is way below perfect score, which is 228, it is not that hard to be nmsf, don’t think it takes that much prep for magnet kids

Many of these kids have been prepping over the long haul. Also, it was 224 when my kid was there. So, not exactly "way below" Some parents take not chances. It's like they have a system or recipe.

Any many of these kids are super super bright, a fact you need to face and stop downplaying it because it's all just the prepping. My kid is not a NMSF, yet got a really great score by looking a the paper booklet the evening prior to the test.

Pp here. I'm not downplaying it, but we have lived this. Many of the magnet kids have been in intense enrichment programs from a very early age. Took math classes out of school before the (already advanced) curriculum in school. Special prep for magnet entrance exam (the old one). It is what it is. They are highly prepped/enriched/educated. And very bright. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Mine has been in the magnet programs all the way through. Also NMSF. Did not do any of these programs but had access to professor parents which is also enrichment. So, the intention is not to undermine anyone but to say that standardized test scores are not some unbiased indicator of pure intelligence or talent. It's not like magnet kids are plain smarter (,or W kids or any of the high scoring groups). This is just one (coachable) data point.