National Merit Scholars-Winners (Dallas, Austin, West: 2013, daycare, home)

[UnfairPark]

Originally Posted by TheOverdog

Plus that fact that only one is listed as HOMESCHOOL which could mean that the trophies of education aren't valued by homeschoolers (my personal opintion: FAT CHANCE OF THAT) or more likely that school & peers does provide value.

Homeschooling is only as good as the individual homeschooling parent, just by having a prefrence for homeschooling, ordinary folks can't gain intellectual or academic abilities. Not many homeschooling parents are honors graduates, according to statistics majority doesn't even have undergraduate degrees. Homeschooling is a great idea for some but for most, its just error of judgment, at least after elementary school.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by UnfairPark

Surprisingly, PISD doesn't focus on these metrics or provides extra help for PSAT/SAT testing unlike some other districts, PISD does support advance academics and helps with AP testing but not standardized testing. I think high scores on standardized testing are just a by product of strong academics and studious environment in those classes and of course we have supportive and educated parents.

We know a number of ex-Plano kids and I'd agree with your assessment. For PW in particular focusing on learning albeit in a demanding atmosphere begats excellent tests scores. As it should be everywhere IMO.

[BLDSoon]

The number of Plano finalists is commendable and Plano West is proving that it is a titan when it comes to presenting top calibre students. As a plano resident zoned to Plano West; I cant help being proud of that fact.

However I’m of the opinion that high performance of individual kids has little to do with the school itself and more to do with the kids’ own abilities, peer and the parent groups. That particular high-performing group of kids, taken together and placed anywhere; would perform similarly. Just wind them up and watch them go. The fact that they have clustered at Plano West is a good thing for its public reputation but in reality means little more than a bunch of smart kids attend PWSH in the grand scheme of things.

What i do give Plano ISD in general major kudos for, is nurturing and challenging their top performers while managing to educate all the other groups as well. The only other districts and schools around here that manage anywhere near those kinds of results do so by cherrypicking their student bodies either by zoning or testing.

That alone is very impressive.

[RoamingTX]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

I have no dog in this fight; I don't have children. I just find the whole thing amusing.

Hahaha! Right?

I wonder what the SSRI prescription rate is relative to the norm on this sample group.

[stan4]

Originally Posted by UnfairPark

Surprisingly, PISD doesn't focus on these metrics or provides extra help for PSAT/SAT testing unlike some other districts, PISD does support advance academics and helps with AP testing but not standardized testing. I think high scores on standardized testing are just a by product of strong academics and studious environment in those classes and of course we have supportive and educated parents.

Our year (Plano Senior - there was no West), we had 30-something semis and I forget how many finalists...and no one talked about it or taught us anything. Hell, the day of the PSAT, I just showed up and they told us there was a test that day. Bing bang boom, next thing I knew, I was at UT for free.

[platon20]

Every time one of these threads comes up I always have a good laugh.

I'm a previous National Merit Scholar from 1996. The amount of attention this award gets now is ridiculous. We have grown adults fighting over which school is supposedly "better" at producing NMSFs

The entire thing is a joke.

When I won in 96, it wasn't a big deal. There was no newspaper articles or fanfare. I think our school announced the semifinalists and finalists over the loudspeaker and that was it. No meetings with the principal. No photo-ops with the major. No round of applause at city hall.

NMSF has become hugely overhyped over the years. Everybody needs to chill and relax.

[UnfairPark]

Originally Posted by platon20

Every time one of these threads comes up I always have a good laugh.

I'm a previous National Merit Scholar from 1996. The amount of attention this award gets now is ridiculous. We have grown adults fighting over which school is supposedly "better" at producing NMSFs

The entire thing is a joke.

When I won in 96, it wasn't a big deal. There was no newspaper articles or fanfare. I think our school announced the semifinalists and finalists over the loudspeaker and that was it. No meetings with the principal. No photo-ops with the major. No round of applause at city hall.

NMSF has become hugely overhyped over the years. Everybody needs to chill and relax.

Just have a look at college costs for middle class and you'll understand what this is about.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by platon20

Every time one of these threads comes up I always have a good laugh.

I'm a previous National Merit Scholar from 1996. The amount of attention this award gets now is ridiculous. We have grown adults fighting over which school is supposedly "better" at producing NMSFs

The entire thing is a joke.

When I won in 96, it wasn't a big deal. There was no newspaper articles or fanfare. I think our school announced the semifinalists and finalists over the loudspeaker and that was it. No meetings with the principal. No photo-ops with the major. No round of applause at city hall.

NMSF has become hugely overhyped over the years. Everybody needs to chill and relax.

When scholarship money, sometimes big time scholarship money, is on the line NMSF is no joke.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by platon20

Every time one of these threads comes up I always have a good laugh.

I'm a previous National Merit Scholar from 1996. The amount of attention this award gets now is ridiculous. We have grown adults fighting over which school is supposedly "better" at producing NMSFs

The entire thing is a joke.

When I won in 96, it wasn't a big deal. There was no newspaper articles or fanfare. I think our school announced the semifinalists and finalists over the loudspeaker and that was it. No meetings with the principal. No photo-ops with the major. No round of applause at city hall.

NMSF has become hugely overhyped over the years. Everybody needs to chill and relax.

I think you protest too much! I was NM in 1985 and there was no loud speaker announcement, but we were presented at the school board meeting, in the local paper, in the school paper, church bulletin and (I just found it clearing out my mother's house) a proclaimation from the state lege!

If anything, it was a bigger deal then, as the dollar amount of the scholarship is virtually the same now and MANY schools, including UT, no longer participate in the program. (It does still open doors to other scholarships, even at UT and other schools that no longer give National Merit Scholarship.)

[unexpected]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

I think you protest too much! I was NM in 1985 and there was no loud speaker announcement, but we were presented at the school board meeting, in the local paper, in the school paper, church bulletin and (I just found it clearing out my mother's house) a proclaimation from the state lege!

If anything, it was a bigger deal then, as the dollar amount of the scholarship is virtually the same now and MANY schools, including UT, no longer participate in the program. (It does still open doors to other scholarships, even at UT and other schools that no longer give National Merit Scholarship.)

Most state schools will give their own scholarships if you're a National Merit Finalist. In the Texas-area, every state school outside of UT-Austin will. Most of these are full rides (except for A&M).

Further out of our geographic area, state schools like Alabama, Auburn, Arizona, etc. will all give full rides for National Merit Finalists (Basically any second-tier state school).