2016 National Merit Semi-Finalists (Dallas, Arlington, Plano: homeschool, live in, education)

[serger]

I would also like to hear more about the admission practices in the elite privates. And how much it is merit vs., hmm.., let's just say "holistic"

I could give an example of a fair merit based admission, imo, from my former high school (public, there were no privates), thousands of miles away, and many years ago:

School specific admission exams, different for each area of study (no multiple choice stuff, it was considered uncool to give you the answer). And then the results were on the wall (yes, with names, lol) averaged with the previous grade(s) in the particular area(s), and then you are either above the line or not.

[VegasMan_72]

Originally Posted by serger

I would also like to hear more about the admission practices in the elite privates. And how much it is merit vs., hmm.., let's just say "holistic"

I could give an example of a fair merit based admission, imo, from my former high school (public, there were no privates), thousands of miles away, and many years ago:

School specific admission exams, different for each area of study (no multiple choice stuff, it was considered uncool to give you the answer). And then the results were on the wall (yes, with names, lol) averaged with the previous grade(s) in the particular area(s), and then you are either above the line or not.

You're probably talking about a third world system. We don't do that here in the U.S.

[serger]

Originally Posted by VegasMan_72

You're probably talking about a third world system. We don't do that here in the U.S.

No I'm not.

And also - when I'm ignorant on a topic I do not comment

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by serger

No I'm not.

And also - when I'm ignorant on a topic I do not comment

Eastern Europe?

[VegasMan_72]

Originally Posted by serger

No I'm not.

And also - when I'm ignorant on a topic I do not comment

Please do enlighten us then your "thousands of miles away" location. I've heard from my Chinese and Indian friends something similar to what you described. I'm willing to bet it's one of those locations

[serger]

Originally Posted by EDS_

Eastern Europe?

Yep, you got me.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by serger

Yep, you got me.

Unfortunately he passed away several years ago but a friend grew up in Poland. I'm weak on the details but recall him describing that on his way to becoming an engineer in Poland he had to take what amounted to a series of all of nothing tests - pass you keep going - fail do something different.

[VegasMan_72]

Originally Posted by EDS_

Unfortunately he passed away several years ago but a friend grew up in Poland. I'm weak on the details but recall him describing that on his way to becoming an engineer in Poland he had to take what amounted to a series of all of nothing tests - pass you keep going - fail do something different.

Yes but that's not what the poster described. I'm mildly familiar with Eatern European countries too(Hungary and Romania). What he described is not simple pass and fail. Average of 2 grades and above or below the line etc. It exists in highly populated countries (2.5 billion between China and India) where admission is super super competitive for professional colleges.

[BLDSoon]

Originally Posted by EDS_

Yes that's right. My guess is you won't be. Nonsense claims fall apart in the face of quantifiable metrics.

Whatever you say Einstein. Nonesense is relative.

[synchronicity]

Well, this is once again becoming a charming thread.

Hockaday's NMSF numbers are below their prior numbers, so I'm sure they're not ecstatic about that. NMSF is quite volatile, especially in small student bodies, so one or two years below established norms may be a trend...or it may just be random variation. Can't really tell now. Hockaday's "bad" numbers are still light years above any open enrollment public. That said, they're not competing with those schools but rather with other top privates, so lower NMSF doesn't help the marketing. But as noted more than once, "%age of NMSF" is just one data point in the entire process of evaluating a school, so one shouldn't read too much into it. Hockaday is still a top tier private.

I assume Hockaday's admissions are mostly merit based but partly influenced by "social status". I doubt their policies have changed substantially if at all over the last 5 or 10 or whatever years. If they had more NMSFs a few years ago than they do now, it likely has nothing to do with admission policies and practices.

It's %NMSF. It doesn't say THAT much.