<p>Hello!
I was wondering if anyone knows how one becomes nominated for this NJ's Governor School of Engineering and Technology pre-college? Is there a specific requirements like a certain GPA range, certain grades or something? Also, if anyone has any advice for this that would be helpful. </p>
<p>Thank you in advance for the help! :)</p>
<p>This is from the NJGS for Science page (but I’m sure applicable):</p>
<p>…the student must have primarily “A” grades in honors math and science classes, and should rank at least in the 90th percentile on any standardized tests he or she has taken. High ability in mathematics must be demonstrated by strong scores in the PSAT/SAT examination. In other words, students should have demonstrated by their achievements that they can hold their own in interactions with the most ”academically talented” students. The most creatively gifted and talented students will not always devote their gifts solely to earning the highest grades, and will divide their time between school and other creative and scientific activities. Such students can be appropriate candidates for the Governor’s School.</p>
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<p>From what I understand, all it takes to get nominated is to have your guidance counselor/principal nominate you. However keep in mind that they only accept 1 nominee for every 325 students in a school’s junior class. So if you have 325 or fewer, the school can only nominate one student. For junior classes with 326 and to 650, 2 students can be nominated, and so on.</p>
<p>More info (and links to both programs) here:
[State</a> of NJ - Governor’s School of New Jersey](<a href=“http://www.state.nj.us/govschool/index.shtml]State”>State of NJ - Governor's School of New Jersey)</p>
<p>When said, “A” grades in honors math and science classes does that mean the average of Freshman and Sophomore year or just sophomore year? Also, do you know how the counselor/principal chooses the nominees?</p>
<p>minniemice18: Keep in mind that I am just a parent whose child is considering NJGS for the coming summer, so I’m answering from that POV — as opposed to being an admin for the program or the parent of a kid that has attended.</p>
<p>That said, I would think that nominees/strong candidates should be at or near the top of their class, especially in math and science. I would think the “A” grades stipulation applies to EVERY year, including your current one, if grades have been posted for the first marking period. That said, they do say that “The most creatively gifted and talented students will not always devote their gifts solely to earning the highest grades, and will divide their time between school and other creative and scientific activities.” So I think that leaves some wiggle room for Bs…if you can show other demonstrable achievement or effort outside the classroom.</p>
<p>I do not know how the principal would choose in schools where more than one kid asks to be considered for nomination. My daughter goes to an out of state school (but is still eligible due to being a resident of the state) and all I did was shoot the GC an email about the program…they would not normally get info on the program because it is not an NJ school. I would guess that, all things being equal, they might consider grades in the math and sciences and go with the person with the higher scores…after all, that is objective vs. subjective.</p>
<p>Okay, thank you for the help!</p>