<p>I was a commended student this year at my school, and it was announced in the school paper. I found it embarassing and unnecessary. I think things like this should be private</p>
<p>I donât think we should recognize anybodyâs achievements if either their family wealth or their personal genetic makeup has anything to do with itâŠplease.</p>
<p>^Agree! Itâs not a kidâs fault if heâs short, but it does make becoming the schoolâs star quarterback more difficult! But who goes around saying that the quarterback was born with good genetic makeup and therefore does not deserve to be recognized?</p>
<p>It seems to be politically incorrect to recognize anything academic anymore. I am so tired of hearing our local HS proclaim that all students are valued and respected when they recognize everything except academics. The academic award ceremonies are by invitation and the award winners are never publicly announced. The A honor roll used to be published, but not anymore.</p>
<p>My D is an NMF. In the fall, they did announce the NMSFâs and interviewed them all for the newspaper. Along with the new student council members who had gotten elected & they also mentioned various athletic successes. Our district makes a point to publicize the NMFs and they have a special event in the Spring where all the NMFs from all the HS in our district get to name a special teacher & have the teacher and student honored at the event.</p>
<p>We have 4 NMFs out of a graduating class of 400+. We live in a higher than average income county and I can tell you that we are most definitely not at the top of household income! Probably not even at median. I find that comment to be an excuse that plays upon class stereotypes. </p>
<p>They also publicize how the DI teams do, and who makes allstate band and choir, who was the top bowler at state, how the math olympiad team does, etc. My kid (and I) donât feel bad if someone else does well; why should NMF get ignored?</p>
<p>I agree wholeheartedly with marite, a lot of athletic ability comes from genetic makeup combined with coaches who have worked with the athletes to help them use their natural ability to excel in their chosen sport. Likewise, I think students who excel academically need to be recognized. I also get irritated at how jealous some parents and other students get about classmates who really excel academically and then admire classmates who excel athletically. Yes, it is one test, but it could also be one competition. All of the sporting competitions before help the athlete just like all of the reading, studying and paying attention to their academics help the academic kid. Of course this is a sad reflection on our society as we pay athletes and movie stars millions of dollars and engineers and scientists might get $100,000. Are values are skewed.</p>
<p>Loved this bit from the article:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>What a surprise: there are no NMSFs applying to CSU campuses from a private high school. :rolleyes: I do, however, see that the high school has 11 graduates at USC over a four year period. If I was a parent at the school with a kid who wanted to go to USC and was told that the school didnât want to bother with NM because it was just too much work:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>darn tooting I would complain! I wonder if this fellow has any idea of exactly how much scholarship money can be at stake.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>so that everyone thinks theyâve been caught with drugs. ;)</p>
<p>If this man from the San Fran school really wants to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate then he should quit his job and take his talents to and academically challenged school. I cannot decide if he is really bothered by the high scorers from his school or if he enjoys the big ego boost by publicly stating that he is bothered.</p>
<p>I wish my son would have been a NMS, but he got a 203 so we are at least hoping for a commended - and only because I think it would be a nice confidence builder for him! He is interested in St. Olaf and had he been a NMS and listed them as his first choice, he would have gotten $7500. That is no small chunk of change.</p>
<p>Our local school board has now decided that there will be NO publishing of honor roll students in the local or school paper. They say it makes the others feel badâŠthis has gone too far.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Do the kids of your local retired pro athletes get a lot of press when they sign somewhere? The twins of former Dallas Cowboy Jim Jeffcoat are seniors this year and boy have they received a lot of attention! (Son Jackson - football, UT; daughter Jacqueline - baskteball, OU).</p>
<p>Tuition at University High is $31,500 and approx. 25% get financial aid. The school website does not say how much these students get in financial aid. It doesnât sound like this school has a lot of low income students. The graduating class has 103 students, so about 15% are semifinalists and and 35% commended.</p>
<p>I donât see a problem with recognizing the commended and semifinalists. We should be recognizing academic excellence is its many forms. If we shouldnât be recognizing accomplishments that are due to a parentâs wealth, there would be many kids who wouldnât get recognized for anything. Whoâs to say that star athletes have achieved because their parents paid for extra coaching? Maybe the star musician is a star because his parents can afford a top of the line instrument and the best private teachers.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Oh yeah, he definitely does. But that big scholarship money is directly from the colleges, not NMF corp. And, in many cases, that money is for earning Semi-Finalist status, i.e., a three hour test on a Saturday morningâŠAnd, since it is ONLY a three hour test, I canât get too excited by his post since he is correct. The PSAT (and SAT and ACT) is positively correlated with income. It also is negatively corrleated with URMs, which is one of the main reasons UC dropped the program. Moroever, what many of you are arguing for is an âawardâ based on one test, one-time, with no make-ups for illness, in lieu of four solid years of coursework. That, I donât get.</p>
<p>btw: Reider is one of the more knowledgeable GCs in the state. Twenty years in admissions, and former adcom at Stanford.</p>
<p>^Agree with bluebayou. Iâve never considered the PSAT to be a measure of academic achievement. I think of the whole NMS hoopla as another money-maker for SAT people. It just incentivizes students to buy test prep materials, and take the test and take it often.</p>
<p>I see recognition as a way of motivating other students, whatever their SES. In a society where role models come from Hollywood or sports, itâs nice that SCHOOLS recognize ACADEMIC achievement and thus motivate students to achieve ACADEMICALLY.
The way many schools act, youâd think NM status is something that needs to be hidden from everyone. And please, what motivates a lot of kids who look up to athletes and movie stars is the money they make.</p>
<p>*Moroever, what many of you are arguing for is an âawardâ based on one test, one-time, with no make-ups for illness, in lieu of four solid years of coursework. That, I donât get.
*</p>
<p>Not true!!! On the NMCorp website, there are instructions for what to do if a child is sick on PSAT day. A child from my sonâs class was sick on PSAT day**, and was allowed to take a particular SAT test on another date and that score was used to qualify her for NM.</p>
<p>** As a matter of fact, this child became ill DURING the test, and NMCorp still allowed her to take the SAT as a âmake upâ test.</p>
<p>From the websiteâŠ</p>
<p>What if a student misses the PSAT/NMSQTÂź?</p>
<p>A student who misses the PSAT/NMSQT test due to illness, an emergency, or other extenuating circumstance, but meets all other requirements for NMSC program participation, may still be able to enter the competitions. See âEntering the Competitionsâ for further information.</p>
<p>Well, why should it make any difference whether the scholarship money is from the colleges and not the NMF? The entire tone of his critique made assumptions that might be based on his experiences, but certainly cannot be said for most of the public schools in this country. The fact is, many colleges reward NMSFâs with scholarships. SoâŠthat is not important to him because his students donât need it. And he whines about the âannoyancesâ of the paperwork NMSC requires and the fact that âsome parent would complainâ if he didnât do it. My impression is that he wants others to think that he and his school are kind of âabove it allâ; thus, his diatribe. But would I want him as a mentor or trusted advisor for my child with an attitude like this? No thanks.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sorry, that is not correct, but I guess it depends on what your use of âmanyâ is. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Bcos if USC (or fill-in-the-blank) offers automatic tuition discounts for NMSFâs, the additional paperwork to make finalist is NOT required for the free money from the college. Moreover, few fail to make finalist anyway, so whatâs the point of additional paper? Forget about a private prep school in SF, think about all the public schools in the state with a GC/student ratio of 1/600.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I think his conclusion is correct. How many Jr parents on THIS thread were complaining last December when yâall found out that the psat only arrives in hardcopy and only arrives when handed out by the GC, which can be weeks after the school has it â first week of Dec.</p>
<p>Yes, momof2, the SAT can be used in lieu of the psat, but the SAT is a harder (requires Alg II), and longer test (includes essay). For a junior who has just started Alg II, the SAT is not a real make-up option, IMO. But if it is, why not just dispense with the psat altogether and use the SAT instead?</p>
<p>Hereâs a list, taken from another thread. Most do make NMF:</p>
<p>o Full ride is defined as minimum tuition/room/board.
o Must guarantee at least 5k or full tuition competitive to be eligible for Honorable Mention.
o U=University, C=College
o *=annual class <1k students
o ^=schools I personally find notable</p>
<p>NMF FULL TUITION+</p>
<h2>Publics</h2>
<p>U of Alabama (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition with 3.5 GPA guaranteed)
U of Alabama-Huntsville (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition guaranteed)
Alabama State U (full ride guaranteed)
Auburn U <a href=âfull%20tuition+%20guaranteedâ>AL</a>
U of North Alabama (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition+ guaranteed)
Troy U <a href=âfull%20ride%20competitiveâ>AL</a>
U of Arizona (full tuition[+?] guaranteed?)
Southern Arkansas U (in-state full ride/OOS full tuition+ [full ride - 2.5k] rolling)
U of Central Florida (NMF full tuition+ guaranteed / full ride competitive & NMSF 9k guaranteed)
Florida A&M U (NMF in-state full ride & OOS full tuition guaranteed - other qualifications, see University Scholarships - Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University 2010)
U of South Florida (NMF full ride competitive - <a href=âhttp://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/pd...on-florida.pdf[/url]â>http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/pd...on-florida.pdf</a> | <a href=âhttp://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/pd...an-florida.pdf[/url]â>http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Admissions/pd...an-florida.pdf</a>)
U of Idaho (NMF full ride competitive [25])
Ball State U <a href=âNMF%20full%20ride%20guaranteedâ>IN</a>
Eastern Kentucky U (in-state full ride & OOS full tuition- guaranteed)
U of Kentucky (full ride 1st year & full tuition+ remaining 3 years guaranteed)
Louisiana State U (full tuition competitive)
U of Maine (tuition- competitive)
Wayne State U <a href=âfull%20ride%20competitiveâ>MI</a>
^*U of Minnesota-Morris (full tuition guaranteed)
^Truman State U <a href=âfull%20tuition%20competitiveâ>MO</a>
Mississippi State U (NMF full tuition+ & NMSF full tuition- guaranteed)
U of Southern Mississippi (NMF/SF full ride competitive)
Southeast Missouri State U (NMF full ride guaranteed, NMSF full tuition- guaranteed)
U of Nebraska-Lincoln (full tuition+ competitive)
New Jersey Institute of Technology (full ride guaranteed)
New Mexico State U (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition+ guaranteed)
Cleveland State U <a href=âfull%20tuition%20guaranteedâ>OH</a>
Youngstown State U <a href=âfull%20ride%20with%2030%20ACT/1300%20SAT%20competitive%20%5B40%5Dâ>OH</a>
Ohio State U (full tuition competitive)
U of Oklahoma (full tuition+ guaranteed)
Oklahoma State U (full tuition+ guaranteed)
U of Memphis <a href=âNMF%20%5B9k%20+%20OOS%20waiver%5D%20&%20NMSF%20%5B7.5k%20+%20OOS%20waiver%5D%20full%20tuition+%20guaranteedâ>TN</a>
U of Houston <a href=âfull%20ride%20guaranteedâ>TX</a>
U of North Texas (full ride competitive)
Texas A&M U (full tuition+ competitive)
U of Texas-Dallas (full tuition+ guaranteed)
Texas Tech U (IS full ride & OOS full tuition+ [19.8k] guaranteed)
U of Texas-Tyler (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition+ guaranteed)
Washington State U (NMSF full tuition guaranteed)
West Virginia U (full tuition- guaranteed)
U of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (in-state full ride guaranteed [~4k OOS tuition difference])</p>
<h2>Privates</h2>
<p><em>Abilene Christian U (full tuition guaranteed)
Alfred U (full ride guaranteed with top 5% rank, otherwise full tuition/ride competitive)
*Alma C (full tuition guaranteed, full ride competitive [first 15 to commit])
*Andrews U (full tuition guaranteed)
Baylor U (full tuition guaranteed)
*Birmingham-Southern C (full tuition competitive)
Bradley U (full tuition guaranteed [not advertised, see <a href=âhttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/...6-post29.html][/url]â>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/...6-post29.html]</a>)
U of Dallas (NMF full tuition, NMSF 12k guaranteed)
^</em>Denison U (full tuition competitive)
<em>U of Evansville (NMF full tuition & NMSF 75% tuition guaranteed)
*Faulkner U (NMF/SF full tuition guaranteed)
^Fordham U (full tuition+ competitive)
*Harding U (full tuition guaranteed)
*Geneva C (NMF full tuition & NMSF 3/4 tuition guaranteed)
Liberty U (NMF full ride & NMSF full tuition guaranteed)
*Lipscomb U (full tuition+ guaranteed)
Long Island U-C.W. Post (full tuition competitive)
^Northeastern U (full tuition competitive)
*Nyack C (full tuition guaranteed)
*Oakwood U (NMF full tuition+, NMSF full tuition, & NMCommended 80% tuition guaranteed)
*Oklahoma Christian U (full ride guaranteed)
*Pacific Union C (full tuition guaranteed)
*Roberts Wesleyan C (NMF full tuition & NMSF half tuition guaranteed)
*Spring Arbor U (NMF full tuition & NMSF half tuition + one-time 5k guaranteed)
*Sterling C (full tuition guaranteed)
^</em>U of Tulsa (full ride competitive [70-80])
^*Wesleyan C <a href=âfull%20tuition%20competitiveâ>women only</a>
*Westminster C <a href=âNMF%20full%20tuition%20&%20NMSF%20half%20tuition%20guaranteedâ>UT</a></p>
<p>NMF HONORABLE MENTIONS</p>
<h2>Publics</h2>
<p>Arizona State University (11k in-state, 17k OOS guaranteed)
U of Central Arkansas (12k guaranteed with 3.25 GPA)
California State U-Fullerton (in-state only: full tuition+ guaranteed)
California State U-Long Beach (in-state only: full ride competitive)
U of Florida (OOS tuition waiver + 4k guaranteed)
^*New C of Florida (17.5k guaranteed)
Iowa State U (in-state full ride competitive)
U of Kansas (in-state only: 10k guaranteed)
U of Louisiana-Lafayette (unclear - UL Lafayette: Academic Scholarships: High School Seniors)
U of Massachusetts-Amherst (in-state full ride competitive)
Michigan State U (750-2k + in-state 2k & OOS 4k and room/board competitive)
U of New Mexico (~13k [in-state full tuition] competitive)
U of Akron <a href=â6k%20guaranteed%20+%20Honors%20College%203kâ>OH</a>
U of Cincinnati <a href=âin-state%20full%20tuition+%20%5BOOS%2014k%20difference%5Dâ>OH</a>
Wright State U <a href=âin-state%20only:%20NMF%20full%20ride%20guaranteed,%20NMSF/Commended%20full%20tuition%20guaranteedâ>OH</a>
U of South Carolina (in-state up to 10k, OOS up to 6k + OOS tuition waiver)
U of Vermont (in-state NMF full tuition, OOS âup to 10kâ competitive)
U of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (full in-state tuition guaranteed)</p>
<h2>Privates</h2>
<p>^American U (âup to full tuitionâ competitive)
^Boston U (half tuition competitive)
<em>Calvin C (10k guaranteed)
*Concordia C (14k guaranteed)
^George Washington U (15k guaranteed)
*Gordon C (75% tuition guaranteed w/ 3.5 GPA)
*Hope C (17k guaranteed)
^</em>Macalester C (5k guaranteed)
<em>Morningside C (âtuition scholarshipâ guaranteed - Morningside College Admissions: First-year Students Scholarships)
*North Central C (3/4 tuition guaranteed)
^U of Rochester (22k guaranteed)
^Rochester Institute of Technology (15k guaranteed)
*U of Sioux Falls (full ride competitive [1])
^U of Southern California (half tuition guaranteed)
Southern Methodist U (half tuition + 2k guaranteed)
^</em>St. Olaf C (7.5k guaranteed)
^Vanderbilt U (5k guaranteed + 2k if awarded competitive merit)</p>
<p>Awesome, and there are what, 3,000 colleges in the country?</p>
<p>bluebayou, I still donât understand his reaction. Or possibly my hackles just went up at the way he phrased his objections. He makes it sound as if the only reason anyone is interested in NM is for the honor and the glory, because look, thereâs no money in it, just some invites from a few Cal State campuses. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Iâll agree that itâs silly on the face of it. Iâll also argue that targeting NMSFs and recruiting them is a marketing technique that a number of colleges have used quite successfully. Itâs irresponsible of a GC to grumble about filling out forms when it could be worth tens of thousands to some students.</p>