Presidential Scholarship Candidates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:08:59 -- this is all based on a single test score -- and perfect or close to perfect ones at that. Many kids go on to fantastic colleges without perfect scores. Our oldest child is a senior in a public school and is headed to an Ivy (which some people care way more about than we do, as neither of us went to an Ivy and things turned out just fine). He wasn't a national merit semifinalist or even commended based on his PSAT scores; his SAT scores went way up -- but they weren't close to perfect. Bright kids will bloom where they are planted. I happen to think that for middle and high school the most important thing is that kids are happy and well supported by teachers who really get to know them. (So after talking to him a lot about it, our second child is in private for HS). As long as those things are true, and they are dedicated to working hard, things will work out fine. So enjoy elementary school!

So true. My DC is a candidate, but I am confident that no college will be jumping up and down about it. Any kid who scores over 2250 is plenty smart enough and hopefully as demonstrated it in more meaningful ways than scoring well on a stupid standardized test.

You can be proud of your child and not discount the accomplishments of others at the same time. Some of the kids that I know on this list are academic superstars (by that, I mean curve setters who have the capacity to be physics PhDs or brain surgeons). I am not suggesting that they are the only ones, by any means. I can't stand all of the celebration of athletics, and often mediocre athletics, when the Brainiacs can't get a moment in the sun without someone denigrating their accomplishments so that they can feel okay about not matching their mark. Congratulations recipients! From a group of very smart students, you stood out for once.

I certainly didn't mean to denigrate anybody's accomplishment. No offense intended. Congratulations to all the candidates. I also think the accomplishments of brainiacs should be celebrated much more than they are. I couldn't agree more with you on that point.

I just meant that there is little difference between a kid who scores at the 2250 and kid who scores at the 2400 level, and colleges know that. Also, I question whether scoring well on a standardized test is a particularly meaningful accomplishment for a brainiac. Calling something an accomplishment implies effort. Doing well on IQ tests, talent search tests like the SCAT, and yes, the PSAT and SAT, reflects innate ability and usually educational and socioeconomic advantage more than achievement. Bright kids are too often praised for being smart rather than what they do with their smarts, which can be counterproductive.

The kids who go to the trouble of writing all the essays and are selected to be semifinalists and scholars based on all their academic and other achievements will really have worked for the honor, and colleges will no doubt recognize that.

Don't forget that many (or most) kids at private schools take the SATs or ACTs more than once. They are thus work their way up to a perfect or close to perfect SAT/ACT. There's thus a built-in advantage for more affluent students who can afford the testing feels (and who are coached to take tests multiple times).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:08:59 -- this is all based on a single test score -- and perfect or close to perfect ones at that. Many kids go on to fantastic colleges without perfect scores. Our oldest child is a senior in a public school and is headed to an Ivy (which some people care way more about than we do, as neither of us went to an Ivy and things turned out just fine). He wasn't a national merit semifinalist or even commended based on his PSAT scores; his SAT scores went way up -- but they weren't close to perfect. Bright kids will bloom where they are planted. I happen to think that for middle and high school the most important thing is that kids are happy and well supported by teachers who really get to know them. (So after talking to him a lot about it, our second child is in private for HS). As long as those things are true, and they are dedicated to working hard, things will work out fine. So enjoy elementary school!

So true. My DC is a candidate, but I am confident that no college will be jumping up and down about it. Any kid who scores over 2250 is plenty smart enough and hopefully as demonstrated it in more meaningful ways than scoring well on a stupid standardized test.

You can be proud of your child and not discount the accomplishments of others at the same time. Some of the kids that I know on this list are academic superstars (by that, I mean curve setters who have the capacity to be physics PhDs or brain surgeons). I am not suggesting that they are the only ones, by any means. I can't stand all of the celebration of athletics, and often mediocre athletics, when the Brainiacs can't get a moment in the sun without someone denigrating their accomplishments so that they can feel okay about not matching their mark. Congratulations recipients! From a group of very smart students, you stood out for once.

I certainly didn't mean to denigrate anybody's accomplishment. No offense intended. Congratulations to all the candidates. I also think the accomplishments of brainiacs should be celebrated much more than they are. I couldn't agree more with you on that point.

I just meant that there is little difference between a kid who scores at the 2250 and kid who scores at the 2400 level, and colleges know that. Also, I question whether scoring well on a standardized test is a particularly meaningful accomplishment for a brainiac. Calling something an accomplishment implies effort. Doing well on IQ tests, talent search tests like the SCAT, and yes, the PSAT and SAT, reflects innate ability and usually educational and socioeconomic advantage more than achievement. Bright kids are too often praised for being smart rather than what they do with their smarts, which can be counterproductive.

The kids who go to the trouble of writing all the essays and are selected to be semifinalists and scholars based on all their academic and other achievements will really have worked for the honor, and colleges will no doubt recognize that.

Actually, the Presidential Scholars are announced late in the school year senior year. No significance to college admissions. Even this candidate status is well after the early decision deadline, and many kids from privates have already committed through the Early Decision status. It's a bigger deal to the high schools, who will tout how many Presidential Scholars they've had, etc. It's also fun for the winners to come to DC -- not as exciting for the DMV locals, of course.

[Anonymous]

I get all of the well documented research that correlates board scores with SES. There are lots of affluent kids with two professional parents and all of the testing and retesting resources that money can buy. Yet, only a relative few post a perfect mark. Everyone wants to explain away the results of the winners and suggest that there is some fairly wide band of capabilities, of which they are of course also included. Exceptionalism does exist in the world and perhaps some of these winners belong in that category. It doesn't always matter how you get there - through a combination of good genes, great school, stimulating home environment, testing support, and lots of practice - results still matter.

[Anonymous]

Evidently the cut-off for DC this year for SAT takers was 1540. The Maryland cut-off was 1600. My guess is the Va. cut-off was also 1600, for reasons set out by previous posters.

Also, I believe that they do not use score choice, but rather rely on scores from a single sitting. Thus there may be kids who have perfect scores on M and V with score choice who are not candidates. This may help to explain the "humble brag" earlier post, although as pointed out it was mistaken in suggesting that candidates apply for this.

As for the PSAT versus SAT results, some students don't really take the PSAT all that seriously, because it counts only for the National Merit process whereas the SAT is what really matters for college admissions. That is why relying on the # of NMSFs at a school to draw inferences about the "quality" of the student body may be somewhat dicey (even assuming that standardized test scores accurately reflects such quality). My kid falls into this category. Did not care at all about the PSAT but worked hard to prep for the SAT.

[Anonymous]

Source?

[Anonymous]

Can't say without revealing more about my identity than I wish to. But the source is extremely reliable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Can't say without revealing more about my identity than I wish to. But the source is extremely reliable.

Fair enough. What's the ACT cut off for each? Do you know?

[Anonymous]

I don't know the ACT cut-off.

[Anonymous]

Evidently the cut-off for DC this year for SAT takers was 1540. The Maryland cut-off was 1600. My guess is the Va. cut-off was also 1600, for reasons set out by previous posters.



Is this the cutoff for both girls and boys?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Evidently the cut-off for DC this year for SAT takers was 1540. The Maryland cut-off was 1600. My guess is the Va. cut-off was also 1600, for reasons set out by previous posters

.
Is this the cutoff for both girls and boys?

You're right. It shouldn't be the same, should it? PP with inside info. Can you please tell us the cutoff for girls vs boys?

[Anonymous]

Don't know if the cut-off is different for boys than for girls, but agree in theory it could be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its so interesting because I have to assume a large population of kids from all of these schools live in Maryland, yet these schools appear almost nowhere on the list of Maryland nominees.

Only one student from these schools on the VA list.

? I see three potomac names and one STA name on the VA list. And 10 on the MD list.

Sorry, Potomac wasn't on my radar.

[Anonymous]

the cut-off is not different for girls and boys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:08:59 -- this is all based on a single test score -- and perfect or close to perfect ones at that. Many kids go on to fantastic colleges without perfect scores. Our oldest child is a senior in a public school and is headed to an Ivy (which some people care way more about than we do, as neither of us went to an Ivy and things turned out just fine). He wasn't a national merit semifinalist or even commended based on his PSAT scores; his SAT scores went way up -- but they weren't close to perfect. Bright kids will bloom where they are planted. I happen to think that for middle and high school the most important thing is that kids are happy and well supported by teachers who really get to know them. (So after talking to him a lot about it, our second child is in private for HS). As long as those things are true, and they are dedicated to working hard, things will work out fine. So enjoy elementary school!

So true. My DC is a candidate, but I am confident that no college will be jumping up and down about it. Any kid who scores over 2250 is plenty smart enough and hopefully as demonstrated it in more meaningful ways than scoring well on a stupid standardized test.

You can be proud of your child and not discount the accomplishments of others at the same time. Some of the kids that I know on this list are academic superstars (by that, I mean curve setters who have the capacity to be physics PhDs or brain surgeons). I am not suggesting that they are the only ones, by any means. I can't stand all of the celebration of athletics, and often mediocre athletics, when the Brainiacs can't get a moment in the sun without someone denigrating their accomplishments so that they can feel okay about not matching their mark. Congratulations recipients! From a group of very smart students, you stood out for once.

I certainly didn't mean to denigrate anybody's accomplishment. No offense intended. Congratulations to all the candidates. I also think the accomplishments of brainiacs should be celebrated much more than they are. I couldn't agree more with you on that point.

I just meant that there is little difference between a kid who scores at the 2250 and kid who scores at the 2400 level, and colleges know that. Also, I question whether scoring well on a standardized test is a particularly meaningful accomplishment for a brainiac. Calling something an accomplishment implies effort. Doing well on IQ tests, talent search tests like the SCAT, and yes, the PSAT and SAT, reflects innate ability and usually educational and socioeconomic advantage more than achievement. Bright kids are too often praised for being smart rather than what they do with their smarts, which can be counterproductive.

The kids who go to the trouble of writing all the essays and are selected to be semifinalists and scholars based on all their academic and other achievements will really have worked for the honor, and colleges will no doubt recognize that.

Don't forget that many (or most) kids at private schools take the SATs or ACTs more than once. They are thus work their way up to a perfect or close to perfect SAT/ACT. There's thus a built-in advantage for more affluent students who can afford the testing feels (and who are coached to take tests multiple times).

Kids who get Free And Reduced Meals can take the SAT and the PSAT for free. They just ask for a waiver. I believe they are allowed to take it as many times as they wish.

[Anonymous]

This thread is filled with guesses and inaccuracies. I have been through the process and can tell you that there was not a significant difference in the cut off numbers between states. My child became friends with a Californian who had a 1590 and my child had a 1580. They both won ultimately. There MAY be a difference between girls and boys because they aim to balance the representation...after the nominees are announced, for those that choose to go through the application, each state will then have 3 boys and 3 girls announced as semi-finalists, and then finally 1 boy and 1 girl as finalists, with 10 extra "at large" candidates, plus the 20 or so additional arts students.