Anonymous wrote:FYI, my child was a National Merit Scholar a few years back in Montgomery County (we are a white, true MC family). It's not everything you think it is. My child had no interest in the schools that offered full scholarship to them. Also rejected by most Ivys (waitlisted at one then rejected, outright rejected at the rest), rejected at targets like Duke, Wash U, U of MI, UNC, etc.

It. Doesn't. Matter. They are happy with how things turned out, happy at their 2md tier school (was a safety) etc.

Think it matters to my DS...he needs an "award".

Anonymous wrote:We were officially told by school yesterday (but out of DC area). They did say the information will be public September 14th so everyone should be notified soon.

Can you please report state and score? TIA

FYI, my child was a National Merit Scholar a few years back in Montgomery County (we are a white, true MC family). It's not everything you think it is. My child had no interest in the schools that offered full scholarship to them. Also rejected by most Ivys (waitlisted at one then rejected, outright rejected at the rest), rejected at targets like Duke, Wash U, U of MI, UNC, etc.

It. Doesn't. Matter. They are happy with how things turned out, happy at their 2md tier school (was a safety) etc.

We were officially told by school yesterday (but out of DC area). They did say the information will be public September 14th so everyone should be notified soon.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In addition to each state having different cutoffs, it’s annoying that the verbal score counts twice but math only once. It will in many cases lead to two kids who have the same PSAT score with one being semi finalist and the other commended.

Three scores used in the calculation: reading, writing/language and math

But the score for the two verbal is the same. Just counts twice. There are two maths sections as well. So why does that count once? A kid with perfect math but who misses two verbal questions will be shut out while kid with perfect verbal but who misses two math gets in. They have same total PSAT score and missed same number of questions. Seems totally biased and unfair to kids stronger in math.

I dont think that's correct. Looking at DS he had different scores for the 3 sections (reading-38; writing-36; math 37.5).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this just irritates me. my kid would qualify if in Florida, but we're in California

Kids in DC, NJ, and MA often would qualify in every state except their own. It's just the way it is.

All these kids who go to $50-60k per year private school or live in school districts where home prices are $2-3mm aren’t getting Every. Single. Advantage? Gasp. Let me clutch my pearls. Oh wait I don’t have any pearls.

You do know there are public schools in DC, NJ, and MA, right?

Learn to read more carefully. And yes, the homes in some of those districts don't cost 1+ million.

DP. Learn to avoid non sequiturs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this just irritates me. my kid would qualify if in Florida, but we're in California

Kids in DC, NJ, and MA often would qualify in every state except their own. It's just the way it is.

All these kids who go to $50-60k per year private school or live in school districts where home prices are $2-3mm aren’t getting Every. Single. Advantage? Gasp. Let me clutch my pearls. Oh wait I don’t have any pearls.

You do know there are public schools in DC, NJ, and MA, right?

I am assuming you are purposely obtuse.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this just irritates me. my kid would qualify if in Florida, but we're in California

Kids in DC, NJ, and MA often would qualify in every state except their own. It's just the way it is.

All these kids who go to $50-60k per year private school or live in school districts where home prices are $2-3mm aren’t getting Every. Single. Advantage? Gasp. Let me clutch my pearls. Oh wait I don’t have any pearls.

You do know there are public schools in DC, NJ, and MA, right?

Learn to read more carefully. And yes, the homes in some of those districts don't cost 1+ million.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this just irritates me. my kid would qualify if in Florida, but we're in California

Kids in DC, NJ, and MA often would qualify in every state except their own. It's just the way it is.

All these kids who go to $50-60k per year private school or live in school districts where home prices are $2-3mm aren’t getting Every. Single. Advantage? Gasp. Let me clutch my pearls. Oh wait I don’t have any pearls.

You do know there are public schools in DC, NJ, and MA, right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In addition to each state having different cutoffs, it’s annoying that the verbal score counts twice but math only once. It will in many cases lead to two kids who have the same PSAT score with one being semi finalist and the other commended.

Three scores used in the calculation: reading, writing/language and math

But the score for the two verbal is the same. Just counts twice. There are two maths sections as well. So why does that count once? A kid with perfect math but who misses two verbal questions will be shut out while kid with perfect verbal but who misses two math gets in. They have same total PSAT score and missed same number of questions. Seems totally biased and unfair to kids stronger in math.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this just irritates me. my kid would qualify if in Florida, but we're in California

Kids in DC, NJ, and MA often would qualify in every state except their own. It's just the way it is.

All these kids who go to $50-60k per year private school or live in school districts where home prices are $2-3mm aren’t getting Every. Single. Advantage? Gasp. Let me clutch my pearls. Oh wait I don’t have any pearls.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD got 226 in MD and haven’t heard anything

You know, if your DD doesn't get it, then screw them. They don't deserve her.
Seriously, congrats to your DD, PP

We already know the threshold is 223 or lower. A student with 223 got their letter

Anonymous wrote:DD got 226 in MD and haven’t heard anything

You know, if your DD doesn't get it, then screw them. They don't deserve her.
Seriously, congrats to your DD, PP

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this just irritates me. my kid would qualify if in Florida, but we're in California

It irritates (and baffles) me that this is a DC website and you're posting from California. So we're even.

You must know that a large percentage of DC is a transient community, and therefore a large percentage of people posting here used to live in DC but now live somewhere else, like in California.

Anonymous wrote:In addition to each state having different cutoffs, it’s annoying that the verbal score counts twice but math only once. It will in many cases lead to two kids who have the same PSAT score with one being semi finalist and the other commended.

Three scores used in the calculation: reading, writing/language and math