Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 20:59     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has posted about the 770 students named National Merit Commended Students. They've started publicizing this more since the incident where school administrators at TJ and Langley weren't bothering to tell students they were commended students. https://www.fcps.edu/news/770-fcps-students-named-national-merit-commended-scholars

TJHSST 196
McLean 83
Langley 82
Chantilly 65
Oakton 61
Madison 47
Lake Braddock 37
Centreville 30
Marshall 29
Robinson 29
West Springfield 27
Westfield 21
Fairfax 14
Edison 12
Falls Church 12
Hayfield 7
Woodson 7
Herndon 5
Annandale 3
Justice 2
West Potomac 1
Lewis 0
Mount Vernon 0
South County 0
South Lakes 0


No surprises other than the low number from Woodson. The top schools consistently have the most high achieving students.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 20:51     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is purely based on PSAT scores being in the top 1% of the state (semifinalist) or top 2-3% (commended).

i.e. this is a metric for who can afford SAT tutoring.


Take your anti-merit BS elsewhere.


Meh. I taught 8 of the kids on the list from one of the schools with more than 8 names. I can say with certainty that 7 of those kids took the same private prep class. Did they work hard? Sure. Are they smarter/more talented than the kid at a neighboring school who couldn't afford the class and only worked through the free practice problems online through khan academy? No. I am all for cheering on those kids who did it--they worked hard! Good for them! But using it to compare one school to another is wild, you are just comparing socioeconomic status.

(And I was a NMS 22 years ago).


Exactly.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 20:50     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Commended is meaningless.


As for the admin not telling students and the news reports up in arms about it, I had to explain to DH how commended means they are NOT a national merit finalist. It is like saying, congrats! You came really close! I still don't understand why this is a thing at all anywhere.


The kids were notified via email that year. Just not a special ceremony or press release or whatever.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 20:49     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Anonymous wrote:Note: Students who have a signed opt-out form on file are not listed.

Did ANYONE read the whole page….


Do the students at the low-performing schools opt out to avoid being attacked as too ambitious or successful?
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 20:47     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Lewis has two National Merit Commended Scholars. They were recognized by the school, and the whole Lewis community knows who they are. Yet they aren't named here.

Another example of the school board screwing Lewis over, I presume? Because if there's ever good news coming from Lewis, you can guarantee the school board will do everything to hide it.


Oh Noooo!
Fcps will be sue and all over the national news again with those names missing…

Last was TJ…
Now Lewis…?


I believe last time the problem was that they didn't notify the students, not that they didn't send out a press release

Also, whether a student is commended or not can easily be found out by having the student check their college board account.


But how will the kids know if there isn’t a press release?

It’s not like the kids check their email. If they did, then they would have seen the notification.

Just like the TJ kids could have done that year of the RWNJ faux outrage.

Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 20:39     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Note: Students who have a signed opt-out form on file are not listed.

Did ANYONE read the whole page….
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 20:38     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Commended is meaningless.


As for the admin not telling students and the news reports up in arms about it, I had to explain to DH how commended means they are NOT a national merit finalist. It is like saying, congrats! You came really close! I still don't understand why this is a thing at all anywhere.


Are you and your DH both that stupid? It’s like saying someone got a silver medal rather than a gold one. It’s not a participation trophy because it’s reserved to kids still in the top 2-3%.


It's kind of like 4th place. The levels go from Commended to Semi-finalist to Finalist, and lastly, the actual National Merit Scholarship winners.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 19:35     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has posted about the 770 students named National Merit Commended Students. They've started publicizing this more since the incident where school administrators at TJ and Langley weren't bothering to tell students they were commended students. https://www.fcps.edu/news/770-fcps-students-named-national-merit-commended-scholars

TJHSST 196
McLean 83
Langley 82
Chantilly 65
Oakton 61
Madison 47
Lake Braddock 37
Centreville 30
Marshall 29
Robinson 29
West Springfield 27
Westfield 21
Fairfax 14
Edison 12
Falls Church 12
Hayfield 7
Woodson 7
Herndon 5
Annandale 3
Justice 2
West Potomac 1
Lewis 0
Mount Vernon 0
South County 0
South Lakes 0


I'm surprised at South Lakes.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 18:53     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Anonymous wrote:Lewis has two National Merit Commended Scholars. They were recognized by the school, and the whole Lewis community knows who they are. Yet they aren't named here.

Another example of the school board screwing Lewis over, I presume? Because if there's ever good news coming from Lewis, you can guarantee the school board will do everything to hide it.


I posted above about SoCo.

We aren't in that pyramid, but I would be shocked if they had zero commended. It doesn't track with what they normally produce
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 18:43     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Commended is meaningless.


As for the admin not telling students and the news reports up in arms about it, I had to explain to DH how commended means they are NOT a national merit finalist. It is like saying, congrats! You came really close! I still don't understand why this is a thing at all anywhere.


Are you and your DH both that stupid? It’s like saying someone got a silver medal rather than a gold one. It’s not a participation trophy because it’s reserved to kids still in the top 2-3%.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 18:37     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Anonymous wrote:Commended is meaningless.


As for the admin not telling students and the news reports up in arms about it, I had to explain to DH how commended means they are NOT a national merit finalist. It is like saying, congrats! You came really close! I still don't understand why this is a thing at all anywhere.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 18:17     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

It’s good to have periodic confirmation of some of the reasons why the top schools are the top schools.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 18:07     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Lewis has two National Merit Commended Scholars. They were recognized by the school, and the whole Lewis community knows who they are. Yet they aren't named here.

Another example of the school board screwing Lewis over, I presume? Because if there's ever good news coming from Lewis, you can guarantee the school board will do everything to hide it.


Oh Noooo!
Fcps will be sue and all over the national news again with those names missing…

Last was TJ…
Now Lewis…?


I believe last time the problem was that they didn't notify the students, not that they didn't send out a press release

Also, whether a student is commended or not can easily be found out by having the student check their college board account.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 17:59     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

Anonymous wrote:Lewis has two National Merit Commended Scholars. They were recognized by the school, and the whole Lewis community knows who they are. Yet they aren't named here.

Another example of the school board screwing Lewis over, I presume? Because if there's ever good news coming from Lewis, you can guarantee the school board will do everything to hide it.


Oh Noooo!
Fcps will be sue and all over the national news again with those names missing…

Last was TJ…
Now Lewis…?
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2026 17:47     Subject: FCPS National Merit Commended Students by High School

I wonder how much those kids prepped.