<p>My brother scored a 196 this year as a junior, which places him in the 95% percentile. I was wondering if this would be sufficient for him to be a commended scholar. I've always heard that "top 5%" thing thrown around, which he's in. If it clarifies anything, his score sheet is missing the abhorrent asterisk, which is supposed to mean that his score should be used for entry into the program... so basically what I'm asking is... is this a surefire thing? Are there people who actually don't have the asterisk but end up not making commended anyway?</p>
<p>On a semi-related note, if this is a surefire thing, then it seems like the commended cutoff dropped at least 4 points this year... wasn't it 200 last year?</p>
<p>i doubt it. one of the juniors in my school last year scored a 202 and didn't get it (or it coulda been our pathetic counselor, idk). I don't think commended drops below 200. Percentile for commended is from around 96 to a 98, w/ 99 for semifinalists</p>
<p>But... ya never know. Each year is different</p>
<p>Yeah, after I read the asterisk comment on another thread, I went back and looked at my son's 196....no asterisk....I guess when the list comes out and 196 without an asterisk is not commened, we can post and put that myth to bed.</p>
<p>I realize that 196 would be a very low commended score, but that doesn't explain the missing asterisk and the top 5% thing. Also, the score report says (under the part about entry requirements) that they're recognizing an additional 5,000 people this year (from 50,000 to 55,000). I realize that more people took the test this year than any other, but I dunno... with the change in the writing that's decreasing everyone's scores...it would kind of make sense that the cutoff would jump down a few points. It was 203 when I took it, and the next year it was 200.</p>
<p>To MissyPie: I wouldn't be so cynical just yet... These next several months are going to be nailbiters though for my bro! My parents kind of feel like this is a repeat of what they went through with me, although with me, it was the semifinalist state cutoff, since my score was on the edge of last year's state cutoff... I got lucky though. Maybe we'll get lucky again?</p>
<p>the asterisk just means that he is qualified for the program... basically he is a junior, US citizen... all those fun things lol. not necessarily that he will be commended or recognized.</p>
<p>196 most likely won't be commended, sorry :/</p>
<p>the "5% thing" that you've heard refers to the recognition of top scorers (which is eventually dwindled down to commended scholars). So, most likely he will get the top scorer recognition, but not commended scholar.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I doubt he is commended. The commended level dropped because of the newest writing section. However this particular version has been available for several years now so the I would guess the commended level stayed the same or went up very slightly. Good luck though, it's great to make it. And most likely with test scores like that he'll do well on SAT (or ACT) which are more important for everything else.</p>