National Merit Semifinalists 2018 (fit in, public school, centers)

[UnfairPark]

Originally Posted by Bp25

Plano west is senior high, grades 11-12. PSAT is taken at the beginning of 11th grade. When will plano west provide the prep? They just take the credit of other people's work, same as TAMS. It may be Plano ISD's credit but no way it's plano west's credit.

Technically, correct. However, when we say Plano West or Plano East or Plano Senior, it means that cluster. Most schools in USA are 4 year 9-12, Plano decided that instead of having a dozen highschools, it would be fiscally and logistically efficient to divide highschool into 9-10 and 10-12 campuses to concentrate and utilize resources. However, every high school represent whole cluster. Plano West represents whole West cluster, including 9-10 schools and yes, East or West or Senior, it's all Plano ISD so credit is shared.

By the way, my son mentioned that Plano ISD used to offer a summer course for SAT prep and PTA offerd proctored practice test for PSAT and SAT during school year. Summer course wasn't very popular but most kids took practice tests. I reckon they still do that.

[MurphyPl1]

Plano ISD has two 9-10 high schools that feed each. 11-12 senior high

[stan4]

Originally Posted by MKDFW

Once you adjust for percentages, only three private schools stand out - Hockaday, St. Mark's, and Greenhill. But, as you point out, the private schools hand pick the students, while public schools have to admit all kids. It is astounding to me that the other private schools have such few NMSF. What is their explanation/justification?

They're less selective and probably mirror the general population more than those three?

[ClaraC]

Gotta brag. Westwood high school in RRISD, 660 seniors, 61 national merit finalists = 9.3%

Incredibly competitive atmosphere - I'm not sure if I had it to do over again, I'd put my kids through that.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by MKDFW

Once you adjust for percentages, only three private schools stand out - Hockaday, St. Mark's, and Greenhill. But, as you point out, the private schools hand pick the students, while public schools have to admit all kids. It is astounding to me that the other private schools have such few NMSF. What is their explanation/justification?

IMO, at least some privates, don't care much about NMSF status. It's a head scratcher to me.

[MKDFW]

Originally Posted by stan4

They're less selective and probably mirror the general population more than those three?

Originally Posted by EDS_

IMO, at least some privates, don't care much about NMSF status. It's a head scratcher to me.

ESD is a perfect example. How can they consistently have such few NMSF? I agree with stan4 that most of the private schools are less selective than most people think.

[UnfairPark]

Originally Posted by stan4

They're less selective and probably mirror the general population more than those three?

Exactly! Parent's ability to pay tuition and child's IQ aren't always proportional.

[calgirlinnc]

Originally Posted by UnfairPark

Exactly! Parent's ability to pay tuition and child's IQ aren't always proportional.

Neither is a child's IQ and an ability to score at the top of one of these tests always proportional.

[UnfairPark]

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

Neither is a child's IQ and an ability to score at the top of one of these tests always proportional.

No doubt, without good math/English education and test taking skills, high IQ students can't make NMSF or perfect SAT but they'll still do equal or better than low IQ/ high prep peers due to analytical abilities if they pay attention in math and English classes.

[synchronicity]

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

Neither is a child's IQ and an ability to score at the top of one of these tests always proportional.

True, but that correlation is generally much higher than the correlation with parent's ability to pay.