<p>I guess I see things as a coach. They dont lower the basket for shorter or less athletic kids do they? It's unfortunate that we are not all blessed with same abilities and background. Its not a prerequisite for success. But to raise the standard on someone, based on residence, for a NATIONAL honor is insane. Where are my Liberal friends ???</p>
<p>Rags, I'm as liberal as they come..... so I think you'd agree with me that the fact that some women, depending on geography, demographics, race, etc. die from breast cancer at a higher rate than others due to less access to mammography, other early screening techniques, etc. is UNFAIR. This is some stupid test, and although you will hear anecdotal evidence about how one kid lost out on mega money, at the end of the day, most kids who score well enough to be commended or semi-finalist are eligible for merit money somewhere somehow.</p>
<p>Save your ire for things that matter. There is no equitable way to compare a poor kid from Bridgeport with a rich kid from an Atlanta suburb, just as there's no equitable way to distribute financial aid to a middle class kid from Greenwich (yes, even Greenwich has nurses and cops and school librarians) vs. the rich kid from Fargo North Dakota whose family income may be 60% of that of the kid from Greenwich.</p>
<p>Go march on city hall demanding mammograms for poor women and your fellow liberals here will come out in droves.</p>
<p>Being from NJ, I have to agree. It's really insane when you look at the curves and how many questions wrong a kid can have from state to state. People frequently say it doesn't matter, it's not a lot of money, but for those searching for a slam dunk financial safety it does mean a lot.</p>
<p>I guess it's only one way for them to account for the different schooling systems and average wealth in each state. there's no way they can do it that will make it fairer</p>
<p>Another liberal sister weighing back in. I could spend a lot of energy decrying why legacies get a thumb on the scale and my kid won't, but it is what it is. Admissions are an imperfect system, as is the NMSF system.</p>
<p>The sports analogy works both ways. If I'm small I can be a jockey, and Shaq can't. Make lemonade!</p>
<p>Or I guess you could move to another state. : )</p>
<p>NMSF is unfair in at least one more dimension. My son was awarded a small, but welcome scholarship, because I work for a particular company. I believe many other awards are restricted this way.</p>
<p>Given my children's scores, I don't have a dog in this fight. But I don't see anything fundamentally wrong with giving the same test nationally and then announcing that you are honoring the top x percent in each state rather than the top x percent nationally. The definition is clear, so there is no unfairness.</p>
<p>It reminds me of the electoral college.</p>
<p>
[quote]
2by2 I am confused by your comment. They are either commended or semi-finalists, they can't be both. Only the semi-finalists can move on the nmf. Are you saying they were commended, or they were semi-finalists that did not progress to nmfs.
[/quote]
proudparent - 2by2 said that the 3 kids were semifinalists for the Morehead scholarship but were National Merit Commended students.</p>
<p>it is NO question of wealth...there are both private and public schools in every state. it is a question of public school systems. i live in mobile, alabama, and our public schools are AWFUL. they are always very low in the standardized tests and such...i go to a private school and am "on the line" for semif. this year</p>
<p>It's always unfair when states are taken into consideration.
Only 4 kids from California qualifyfor MathCounts National!</p>
<p>Why do poor kids who are smart enough to win NMSF if it was a truly national contest need merit aid when they're going to be getting aid based on their economic situation?</p>
<p>I am a NMSF and if I receive a dime of aid from any school, it will be because of National Merit.</p>
<p>My understanding is that they distribute the number of awards across the states in a fair manner.....but I think the actual numbers of the scores vary less. You are right life isn't fair. Minorities get to compete for the National Achievement Scholarships. Their numbers also differ.</p>
<p>This is a part of life in college, grad school, jobs etc. Get used to it now.....even harder is the fact that the world is not round but flat in this global economy. 250,000 Tax returns were done in INDIA last year. China makes products with slave labor at ten cents an hour.....</p>
<p>Don't dwell on the unfairness but learn to bust your butt to earn the other kinds of scholarships on merit only each individual school offers.</p>
<p>Have to agree with Atlmom--the distinction son had of being a National Merit Finalist was just that. He received 0 dollars in merit aid at the college he ended up attending. The private more elite colleges just don't offer "pure" merit aid. It was an honor for one day's worth of work--we are proud of him for that. But, after, they have been in college for a couple of years, these honors really seem so minor. There are bigger issues now-keeping grades up, focusing on a major that will (hopefully!) mean gainful employment after graduation and what will they do over the summers? It is an honor that we as a family are proud of and that's it. Life is unfair--college admissions really shows how unfair it can be!</p>
<p>I have been reading all this with much interest, as S waits to here if he is an NMS finalist. We are from the Midwest where many of our schools are rural and don't often have the opportunity to have students attend elite colleges. We have few IB programs, and most high schools don't offer more than six or seven AP courses. S got a 220 on his PSAT which is good in our state. Happy for him. But recognize that it is not everything, it is one test on one day. On the other hand, it is sort of like going to Disneyland in the 1960s. You needed to have a variety of tickets from A to E to get on the rides, it is just one of his tickets. </p>
<p>Seniors in high school from all over need all kinds of tickets. Due to a difficult math class sophomore year, S isn't first in class. I am not moaning about this. Teacher probably wasn't a good teacher or possibly S did not deserve the top score -- S's test scores have reflected his good ability. But that's life. S may not have put forth enough effort -- he got a B. There are many valedictorian scholarships but I'm not going to complain that he missed an A by one point because it just doesn't matter. In some ways it was a relief.</p>
<p>Many of the students who are NMF have many other qualifications -- colleges look at them as a package.</p>
<p>So to the OP I am sorry that your child didn't make it but get over it. I'm sure he/she is very talented and will have numerous other opportunities.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>"National" Merit should be called a "state test" not a national one, because kids are compared by state, and yet awarded one a national basis. I think the whole thing is idiotic. I understand the OP completely.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Only 4 kids from California qualifyfor MathCounts National!
[/quote]
LOL that is quite unfair</p>
<p>Bandtethut:</p>
<p>Get over it. If you do not qualify for need-based aid, it is because your parents are quite affluent by any reasonable standard.</p>
<p>Try being poor for a year or so before you begrudge these kids ANYTHING.</p>
<p>My nephew was the Mathcounts champion from .... Washington DC! Humph! We were just glad that our school made it to states one year when my son was in it.</p>
<p>Daughter had a bad day on PSAT - didn't even make commended - yet she still was offered a full tuition scholarship to a good local state school. Her SAT's weren't that great either, but she did quite well on 3 AP tests she took junior year. (She doesn't want to go there, unfortunately!)</p>
<p>Since husband works for a company that gives a large number of National Merit corporate scholarships to employees' kids, she is in the running for one of those too. It may be unfair, but we aren't turning it down!</p>