NMSFs in DC 2026

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I gotta be honest, this whole thread has been confusing as hell to me...
I grew up in NYC in the in the (just barely) web era and attended a poorly funded school in a outer borough, and my recollection is that literally nobody - not one single human - gave a flying leap that I was a NMSF...yes, up to and including my very supportive immediate family and teachers. I got some official looking results mailing at home that mentioned that was my designation somewhere, and that was the end of that.
I think I asked a teacher once if being a semifinalist meant something special and they said: nope, not really... that the only thing that counted was being a finalist - and in retrospect, they're right.
Am I missing something here - what is this, rural Iowa? why do a few local high school students getting a reasonably decent (but not outstanding) score on a standardized test merit any kind of wide public notice?

Because it is so difficult to get a qualifying score in DC. Sounds like it's much easier in NYC so agree, probably not impressive at all.

Uh, the best public high schools in NYC are much, much better than the best public high schools in DC.

Uh, that is irrelevant to the how the cutoff score for NMSF is set by state.

Stuyvesant High School had 173 (!) semifinalists in one year, a couple years ago. Bronx Sci routinely has almost 50. How many did JR have? One?

NY cut off is 223, while DC cut off is 225. Why is it easier to become NMSF in NY when it already has so many great schools?

Because it's a statewide rather than a city-wide designation, so you're averaging the score across some great and some less great school systems.

Why is DC so high?

[Anonymous]

Oh give me a break…again: this isn’t rural Iowa. This isn’t even the South Bronx. A thing that by the definition isn’t all that impressive if a kid does it in Bed-Stuy or Brownsville doesn’t become some huge deal if a kid in Upper NW does it. Now, if we’re going more local than a city to city comparison…if we’re talking about a kid - even one single student - in Anacostia: I’ll be the first to line up for the parade! But the entire city of DC? I can see why they’re not eager to draw attention to this lackluster a showing. Name in the paper? For what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I gotta be honest, this whole thread has been confusing as hell to me...
I grew up in NYC in the in the (just barely) web era and attended a poorly funded school in a outer borough, and my recollection is that literally nobody - not one single human - gave a flying leap that I was a NMSF...yes, up to and including my very supportive immediate family and teachers. I got some official looking results mailing at home that mentioned that was my designation somewhere, and that was the end of that.
I think I asked a teacher once if being a semifinalist meant something special and they said: nope, not really... that the only thing that counted was being a finalist - and in retrospect, they're right.
Am I missing something here - what is this, rural Iowa? why do a few local high school students getting a reasonably decent (but not outstanding) score on a standardized test merit any kind of wide public notice?

Because it is so difficult to get a qualifying score in DC. Sounds like it's much easier in NYC so agree, probably not impressive at all.

Uh, the best public high schools in NYC are much, much better than the best public high schools in DC.

Uh, that is irrelevant to the how the cutoff score for NMSF is set by state.

Stuyvesant High School had 173 (!) semifinalists in one year, a couple years ago. Bronx Sci routinely has almost 50. How many did JR have? One?

NY cut off is 223, while DC cut off is 225. Why is it easier to become NMSF in NY when it already has so many great schools?

Because it's a statewide rather than a city-wide designation, so you're averaging the score across some great and some less great school systems.

Why is DC so high?

Unlike the state cutoffs, the DC cutoff is not based on the students who attend school here. It’s arbitrarily set as equal to the highest state cutoff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I gotta be honest, this whole thread has been confusing as hell to me...
I grew up in NYC in the in the (just barely) web era and attended a poorly funded school in a outer borough, and my recollection is that literally nobody - not one single human - gave a flying leap that I was a NMSF...yes, up to and including my very supportive immediate family and teachers. I got some official looking results mailing at home that mentioned that was my designation somewhere, and that was the end of that.
I think I asked a teacher once if being a semifinalist meant something special and they said: nope, not really... that the only thing that counted was being a finalist - and in retrospect, they're right.
Am I missing something here - what is this, rural Iowa? why do a few local high school students getting a reasonably decent (but not outstanding) score on a standardized test merit any kind of wide public notice?

Because it is so difficult to get a qualifying score in DC. Sounds like it's much easier in NYC so agree, probably not impressive at all.

Uh, the best public high schools in NYC are much, much better than the best public high schools in DC.

Uh, that is irrelevant to the how the cutoff score for NMSF is set by state.

Stuyvesant High School had 173 (!) semifinalists in one year, a couple years ago. Bronx Sci routinely has almost 50. How many did JR have? One?

NY cut off is 223, while DC cut off is 225. Why is it easier to become NMSF in NY when it already has so many great schools?

Because it's a statewide rather than a city-wide designation, so you're averaging the score across some great and some less great school systems.

Why is DC so high?

Unlike the state cutoffs, the DC cutoff is not based on the students who attend school here. It’s arbitrarily set as equal to the highest state cutoff.

Despite the high cut-off, DC still has a decent number of NMSFs due to the private schools drawing in strong students from around the region.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I gotta be honest, this whole thread has been confusing as hell to me...
I grew up in NYC in the in the (just barely) web era and attended a poorly funded school in a outer borough, and my recollection is that literally nobody - not one single human - gave a flying leap that I was a NMSF...yes, up to and including my very supportive immediate family and teachers. I got some official looking results mailing at home that mentioned that was my designation somewhere, and that was the end of that.
I think I asked a teacher once if being a semifinalist meant something special and they said: nope, not really... that the only thing that counted was being a finalist - and in retrospect, they're right.
Am I missing something here - what is this, rural Iowa? why do a few local high school students getting a reasonably decent (but not outstanding) score on a standardized test merit any kind of wide public notice?

Because it is so difficult to get a qualifying score in DC. Sounds like it's much easier in NYC so agree, probably not impressive at all.

Uh, the best public high schools in NYC are much, much better than the best public high schools in DC.

Uh, that is irrelevant to the how the cutoff score for NMSF is set by state.

Stuyvesant High School had 173 (!) semifinalists in one year, a couple years ago. Bronx Sci routinely has almost 50. How many did JR have? One?

NY cut off is 223, while DC cut off is 225. Why is it easier to become NMSF in NY when it already has so many great schools?

Because it's a statewide rather than a city-wide designation, so you're averaging the score across some great and some less great school systems.

Why is DC so high?

Unlike the state cutoffs, the DC cutoff is not based on the students who attend school here. It’s arbitrarily set as equal to the highest state cutoff.

Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I gotta be honest, this whole thread has been confusing as hell to me...
I grew up in NYC in the in the (just barely) web era and attended a poorly funded school in a outer borough, and my recollection is that literally nobody - not one single human - gave a flying leap that I was a NMSF...yes, up to and including my very supportive immediate family and teachers. I got some official looking results mailing at home that mentioned that was my designation somewhere, and that was the end of that.
I think I asked a teacher once if being a semifinalist meant something special and they said: nope, not really... that the only thing that counted was being a finalist - and in retrospect, they're right.
Am I missing something here - what is this, rural Iowa? why do a few local high school students getting a reasonably decent (but not outstanding) score on a standardized test merit any kind of wide public notice?

Because it is so difficult to get a qualifying score in DC. Sounds like it's much easier in NYC so agree, probably not impressive at all.

Uh, the best public high schools in NYC are much, much better than the best public high schools in DC.

Uh, that is irrelevant to the how the cutoff score for NMSF is set by state.

Stuyvesant High School had 173 (!) semifinalists in one year, a couple years ago. Bronx Sci routinely has almost 50. How many did JR have? One?

NY cut off is 223, while DC cut off is 225. Why is it easier to become NMSF in NY when it already has so many great schools?

Because it's a statewide rather than a city-wide designation, so you're averaging the score across some great and some less great school systems.

Why is DC so high?

Unlike the state cutoffs, the DC cutoff is not based on the students who attend school here. It’s arbitrarily set as equal to the highest state cutoff.

Why?

How should I know why? That’s how the National Merit Corporation does it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:POST THE LIST!!’

Where can one find the list?

Who are the local education reporters in DC?

This is honestly so depressing. Lauren Lumpkin is supposed to cover education for the Post but she clearly doesn't really want to, and most of her articles more nationally hooked.

I can't find any other dedicated dc education reporters at any publication.

We are so screwed. Not bc of this particular small topic, but it's a canary in a coal mine -- there is NO media paying any attention to what's going on in DC schools. So all changing curriculum etc, will happen with no scrutiny.

Ok, i emailed the media contact for NMS and they responded really quickly! Hopefully they will offer something, and then maybe I'll send the list to.... Popville? the 51st?

Update, this is the response:

"It appears that the Catholic Standard, The Washington Times, and the Washington Post all received releases for your area. Those outlets may not yet have published the list, or may not publish unless someone first requests that they do so."

Isn't Lauren Lumpkin supposed to be covering local education issues for the Washington Post? You would think this at least warrants a small article (DMV semifinalists).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:POST THE LIST!!’

Where can one find the list?

Who are the local education reporters in DC?

This is honestly so depressing. Lauren Lumpkin is supposed to cover education for the Post but she clearly doesn't really want to, and most of her articles more nationally hooked.

I can't find any other dedicated dc education reporters at any publication.

We are so screwed. Not bc of this particular small topic, but it's a canary in a coal mine -- there is NO media paying any attention to what's going on in DC schools. So all changing curriculum etc, will happen with no scrutiny.

Ok, i emailed the media contact for NMS and they responded really quickly! Hopefully they will offer something, and then maybe I'll send the list to.... Popville? the 51st?

Update, this is the response:

"It appears that the Catholic Standard, The Washington Times, and the Washington Post all received releases for your area. Those outlets may not yet have published the list, or may not publish unless someone first requests that they do so."

Isn't Lauren Lumpkin supposed to be covering local education issues for the Washington Post? You would think this at least warrants a small article (DMV semifinalists).

I just did a search on the WaPo app and the most recent list of semifinalists that I could find was published 11 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I gotta be honest, this whole thread has been confusing as hell to me...
I grew up in NYC in the in the (just barely) web era and attended a poorly funded school in a outer borough, and my recollection is that literally nobody - not one single human - gave a flying leap that I was a NMSF...yes, up to and including my very supportive immediate family and teachers. I got some official looking results mailing at home that mentioned that was my designation somewhere, and that was the end of that.
I think I asked a teacher once if being a semifinalist meant something special and they said: nope, not really... that the only thing that counted was being a finalist - and in retrospect, they're right.
Am I missing something here - what is this, rural Iowa? why do a few local high school students getting a reasonably decent (but not outstanding) score on a standardized test merit any kind of wide public notice?

Because it is so difficult to get a qualifying score in DC. Sounds like it's much easier in NYC so agree, probably not impressive at all.

Uh, the best public high schools in NYC are much, much better than the best public high schools in DC.

Uh, that is irrelevant to the how the cutoff score for NMSF is set by state.

Stuyvesant High School had 173 (!) semifinalists in one year, a couple years ago. Bronx Sci routinely has almost 50. How many did JR have? One?

NY cut off is 223, while DC cut off is 225. Why is it easier to become NMSF in NY when it already has so many great schools?

Because it's a statewide rather than a city-wide designation, so you're averaging the score across some great and some less great school systems.

Why is DC so high?

Unlike the state cutoffs, the DC cutoff is not based on the students who attend school here. It’s arbitrarily set as equal to the highest state cutoff.

Why?

This is asked on here literally every year by each now set of parents experiencing the wonder and glory of NMSF. If you do a search you will find long threads discussing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:POST THE LIST!!’

Where can one find the list?

Who are the local education reporters in DC?

This is honestly so depressing. Lauren Lumpkin is supposed to cover education for the Post but she clearly doesn't really want to, and most of her articles more nationally hooked.

I can't find any other dedicated dc education reporters at any publication.

We are so screwed. Not bc of this particular small topic, but it's a canary in a coal mine -- there is NO media paying any attention to what's going on in DC schools. So all changing curriculum etc, will happen with no scrutiny.

Ok, i emailed the media contact for NMS and they responded really quickly! Hopefully they will offer something, and then maybe I'll send the list to.... Popville? the 51st?

Update, this is the response:

"It appears that the Catholic Standard, The Washington Times, and the Washington Post all received releases for your area. Those outlets may not yet have published the list, or may not publish unless someone first requests that they do so."

Isn't Lauren Lumpkin supposed to be covering local education issues for the Washington Post? You would think this at least warrants a small article (DMV semifinalists).

I just did a search on the WaPo app and the most recent list of semifinalists that I could find was published 11 years ago.

It often doesn't get published. Patch used to publish it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:POST THE LIST!!’

Where can one find the list?

Who are the local education reporters in DC?

This is honestly so depressing. Lauren Lumpkin is supposed to cover education for the Post but she clearly doesn't really want to, and most of her articles more nationally hooked.

I can't find any other dedicated dc education reporters at any publication.

We are so screwed. Not bc of this particular small topic, but it's a canary in a coal mine -- there is NO media paying any attention to what's going on in DC schools. So all changing curriculum etc, will happen with no scrutiny.

Ok, i emailed the media contact for NMS and they responded really quickly! Hopefully they will offer something, and then maybe I'll send the list to.... Popville? the 51st?

Update, this is the response:

"It appears that the Catholic Standard, The Washington Times, and the Washington Post all received releases for your area. Those outlets may not yet have published the list, or may not publish unless someone first requests that they do so."

Isn't Lauren Lumpkin supposed to be covering local education issues for the Washington Post? You would think this at least warrants a small article (DMV semifinalists).

I just did a search on the WaPo app and the most recent list of semifinalists that I could find was published 11 years ago.

Maybe the poster in contact with the national merit people can suggest they send the release to Jeff of DCUM, Prince of Petworth and the DC Patch. I'm not sure why the Catholic Standard gets the press release, when no one has ever heard of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:POST THE LIST!!’

Where can one find the list?

Who are the local education reporters in DC?

This is honestly so depressing. Lauren Lumpkin is supposed to cover education for the Post but she clearly doesn't really want to, and most of her articles more nationally hooked.

I can't find any other dedicated dc education reporters at any publication.

We are so screwed. Not bc of this particular small topic, but it's a canary in a coal mine -- there is NO media paying any attention to what's going on in DC schools. So all changing curriculum etc, will happen with no scrutiny.

Ok, i emailed the media contact for NMS and they responded really quickly! Hopefully they will offer something, and then maybe I'll send the list to.... Popville? the 51st?

Update, this is the response:

"It appears that the Catholic Standard, The Washington Times, and the Washington Post all received releases for your area. Those outlets may not yet have published the list, or may not publish unless someone first requests that they do so."

Isn't Lauren Lumpkin supposed to be covering local education issues for the Washington Post? You would think this at least warrants a small article (DMV semifinalists).

I just did a search on the WaPo app and the most recent list of semifinalists that I could find was published 11 years ago.

Maybe the poster in contact with the national merit people can suggest they send the release to Jeff of DCUM, Prince of Petworth and the DC Patch. I'm not sure why the Catholic Standard gets the press release, when no one has ever heard of it.

Um, Catholics have heard of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:POST THE LIST!!’

Where can one find the list?

Who are the local education reporters in DC?

This is honestly so depressing. Lauren Lumpkin is supposed to cover education for the Post but she clearly doesn't really want to, and most of her articles more nationally hooked.

I can't find any other dedicated dc education reporters at any publication.

We are so screwed. Not bc of this particular small topic, but it's a canary in a coal mine -- there is NO media paying any attention to what's going on in DC schools. So all changing curriculum etc, will happen with no scrutiny.

Ok, i emailed the media contact for NMS and they responded really quickly! Hopefully they will offer something, and then maybe I'll send the list to.... Popville? the 51st?

Update, this is the response:

"It appears that the Catholic Standard, The Washington Times, and the Washington Post all received releases for your area. Those outlets may not yet have published the list, or may not publish unless someone first requests that they do so."

Isn't Lauren Lumpkin supposed to be covering local education issues for the Washington Post? You would think this at least warrants a small article (DMV semifinalists).

I just did a search on the WaPo app and the most recent list of semifinalists that I could find was published 11 years ago.

Maybe the poster in contact with the national merit people can suggest they send the release to Jeff of DCUM, Prince of Petworth and the DC Patch. I'm not sure why the Catholic Standard gets the press release, when no one has ever heard of it.

Um, Catholics have heard of it.

Wonderful--why don't you contact their education reporter then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:POST THE LIST!!’

Where can one find the list?

Who are the local education reporters in DC?

This is honestly so depressing. Lauren Lumpkin is supposed to cover education for the Post but she clearly doesn't really want to, and most of her articles more nationally hooked.

I can't find any other dedicated dc education reporters at any publication.

We are so screwed. Not bc of this particular small topic, but it's a canary in a coal mine -- there is NO media paying any attention to what's going on in DC schools. So all changing curriculum etc, will happen with no scrutiny.

Ok, i emailed the media contact for NMS and they responded really quickly! Hopefully they will offer something, and then maybe I'll send the list to.... Popville? the 51st?

Update, this is the response:

"It appears that the Catholic Standard, The Washington Times, and the Washington Post all received releases for your area. Those outlets may not yet have published the list, or may not publish unless someone first requests that they do so."

Isn't Lauren Lumpkin supposed to be covering local education issues for the Washington Post? You would think this at least warrants a small article (DMV semifinalists).

I just did a search on the WaPo app and the most recent list of semifinalists that I could find was published 11 years ago.

Maybe the poster in contact with the national merit people can suggest they send the release to Jeff of DCUM, Prince of Petworth and the DC Patch. I'm not sure why the Catholic Standard gets the press release, when no one has ever heard of it.

Um, Catholics have heard of it.

It's not really the type of publication that covers local news for the general DC public. https://www.cathstan.org/

Wonderful--why don't you contact their education reporter then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only 3 NMSF at walls this year (compared with 6 last year)

How do you know this?

Walls sent an email out to school with the three names

That is really really depressing. This is exactly what I thought would happen when they made it easier to get in.