National Merit list?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just read on the College forum that the DC list will not be published this year because the inclusion or absence of Malia Obama would cause too much scrutiny. Who knows if this is accurate information?

It is the unexplained absence of the list that is going to cause the scrutiny now.

[Anonymous]

This is true. DC schools were asked not to release their lists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is true. DC schools were asked not to release their lists.

Any proof of this? It frankly makes no sense. The list exists, and dozens of DC area high schools have it. The idea that somehow it would fail to reach a journalist who would publish it is just silly. News outlets get pictures of secret celebrity wedding and births, so surely they can get a stupid semifinalist list. And since someone's going to publish, no one would want to be the one to fail to publish. Also, it's hard to imagine the Obama administration taking any steps to block the news media from publishing news -- the backlash would be ridiculous, and (like 'em or not) the Obama communications team is too smart to leave itself open to such a self-inflicted wound. It would be published within a couple weeks.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't make any sense. Some students apply to schools without SAT and/or ACT requirements... or just ACT submission. So any student can avoid or miss the NMF list since this requires an SAT score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is true. DC schools were asked not to release their lists.

Any proof of this? It frankly makes no sense. The list exists, and dozens of DC area high schools have it. The idea that somehow it would fail to reach a journalist who would publish it is just silly. News outlets get pictures of secret celebrity wedding and births, so surely they can get a stupid semifinalist list. And since someone's going to publish, no one would want to be the one to fail to publish. Also, it's hard to imagine the Obama administration taking any steps to block the news media from publishing news -- the backlash would be ridiculous, and (like 'em or not) the Obama communications team is too smart to leave itself open to such a self-inflicted wound. It would be published within a couple weeks.

Especially now.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't make any sense. Some students apply to schools without SAT and/or ACT requirements... or just ACT submission. So any student can avoid or miss the NMF list since this requires an SAT score.

NMSF is based on your performance on the PSAT, not the SAT. And all students at Sidwell and other private schools, and, I believe, across DCPS, take the PSAT. The schools administer it during the school day and pay for it themselves. So Malia Obama has a score that either qualifies her for the list or does not.

[Anonymous]

It is actually possible to skip the PSAT or be sick for the PSAT, but the vast majority of kids do have PSAT scores.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't make any sense. Some students apply to schools without SAT and/or ACT requirements... or just ACT submission. So any student can avoid or miss the NMF list since this requires an SAT score.

Semifinalist status is based on the PSAT alone - one test on one day all over the country. Almost all juniors in the DC area take the test.

Finalist status requires a confirming SAT score (along with a transcript, recommendation and essay).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is true. DC schools were asked not to release their lists.

Apparently, that was nonsense.

http://patch.com/district-columbia/georgetown/washington-dcs-2016-national-merit-semifinalists-0

[Anonymous]

At last! Thank you.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, because there has been speculation on the issue, here's a breakdown of entry point for the 16 Sidwell NMSFs (to the best of my recollection):

7 in 9th grade
3 in 6th grade
1 in K
5 in PK

There's also one NMSF from St. Alban's who went to Sidwell from PK to 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, because there has been speculation on the issue, here's a breakdown of entry point for the 16 Sidwell NMSFs (to the best of my recollection):

7 in 9th grade
3 in 6th grade
1 in K
5 in PK

10 girls and 6 boys

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, because there has been speculation on the issue, here's a breakdown of entry point for the 16 Sidwell NMSFs (to the best of my recollection):

7 in 9th grade
3 in 6th grade
1 in K
5 in PK

There's also one NMSF from St. Alban's who went to Sidwell from PK to 3rd grade.

Thanks, good information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, because there has been speculation on the issue, here's a breakdown of entry point for the 16 Sidwell NMSFs (to the best of my recollection):

7 in 9th grade
3 in 6th grade
1 in K
5 in PK

There's also one NMSF from St. Alban's who went to Sidwell from PK to 3rd grade.

Thanks, good information.

We entered in K a few years ago (not Sidwell); not terribly good stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We entered in K a few years ago (not Sidwell); not terribly good stats.

Only if you look at K in isolation. If you combine PK and K, the % of students entering is approximately equal to the % earning NMSF, at least in this one snapshot.