41 National Merit Scholar Finalists from FCPS

[Darkseid]

Originally Posted by claremarie

I agree with CAVA that most of these kids probably aren't in the mythical 1%, but rather from the solidly intellectual elite, and (in the case of TJ), disproportionately Asian and East Asian.

and I wonder if any of them are black

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Darkseid

and I wonder if any of them are black

If not now, they likely will be in the future, since I'm hearing the new "high performing" groups of immigrants are coming from Africa. What we're seeing is clearly a reflection of our current immigration situation that attracts highly educated immigrants from some parts of the world (Asia, Africa), mainly by air, versus less educated ones arriving from elsewhere (Mexico, Haiti, and Central America) by land and sea. Poor Asian peasants and rich Latin American and European professionals tend to remain in their countries of origin or are kept out by our immigration policies.

[saganista]

Originally Posted by claremarie

What "financial need screen?" The $2500 National Merit Finalist scholarships are awarded without any consideration of financial need. From the FCPS website announcing the awards:

Your mileage may vary depending upon whose hands are actually on the financial controls and which aspect of the National Merit Program you are focusing on...

Minimum qualifications
-- Must be a National Merit/Achievement finalist
-- Must declare University of Missouri as your first choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation
-- Must enroll at MU the first semester after high school

Award amount
-- $1,000 minimum
-- Up to $2000 for students who demonstrate financial need

Originally Posted by claremarie

From the National Merit Scholarship Corporation site:
National Merit® $2500 Scholarships
Every Finalist competes for these single payment scholarships...

One-time awards or renewable scholarships?

Originally Posted by claremarie

I agree with CAVA that most of these kids probably aren't in the mythical 1%, but rather from the solidly intellectual elite, and (in the case of TJ), disproportionately Asian and East Asian.

More guesses from Chicagoland. And for the nth time, the 1% doesn't have anything to do with the discussion except in serving to estabish a numerical yardstick for the type of numbers one needs to have in mind. The point here has been to encourage people to start thinking outside the box, but the heck with the box, I detect very little thinking going on at all. It's one trite and hackneyed bit of unconsidered and unrefined conventional "wisdom" after another. People who take themselves to be "intelligent" owe themselves quite a bit better. It's amazing sometimes how far a litttle openess to new ideas and different thinking can take you. Assuming that one is actually interested in getting anywhere, that is...

[snowdenscold]

From their website...
http://www.nationalmerit.org/nmsp.php

Types of Merit Scholarship® Awards

Beginning in March and continuing to mid-June, NMSC notifies approximately 8,300 Finalists at their home addresses that they have been selected to receive a Merit Scholarship® award. Merit Scholarship awards are of three types:

National Merit® $2500 Scholarships
Every Finalist competes for these single payment scholarships, which are awarded on a state representational basis. Winners are selected without consideration of family financial circumstances, college choice, or major and career plans.

Corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards
Corporate sponsors designate their awards for children of their employees or members, for residents of a community where a company has operations, or for Finalists with career plans the sponsor wishes to encourage. These scholarships may either be renewable for four years of undergraduate study or one-time awards.

College-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards
Officials of each sponsor college select winners of their awards from Finalists who have been accepted for admission and have informed NMSC by the published deadlines that the sponsor college or university is their first choice. These awards are renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study. The published deadlines for reporting a sponsor college as first choice can be viewed on page 3 of the Requirements and Instructions for Semifinalists in the 2012 National Merit® Scholarship Program.


Merit Scholarship awards are supported by some 440 independent sponsors and by NMSC's own funds. Sponsor organizations include corporations and businesses, company foundations, professional associations, and colleges and universities. back to top

So it would seem FCPS is just talking about that first category.

[claremarie]

"So it would seem FCPS is just talking about that first category."

Indeed.

What is amazing is the dearth of students named "John Smith", or "Jose Rodriguez" or variations thereof, on these lists. (This is also true of the top students at other Fairfax public high schools, and of the school orchestra lineups, the spelling bee finalists, and the middle school science/math competitions.) Even out here in flyover country, the names of the valedictorians/science fair winners/spelling bee finalists/quiz bowl contestants at the local mega-high school are disproportionately Asian or Indian.

[saganista]

TJ students..peas in a pod.

Compare and contrast to a westbound Orange Line train pulling into Ballston at say 6:30 PM on a typical Thursday.