Debbie7452

Just for the record. Our HS awards a letter jacket for excelling in Academics!

squidge

Our school gives an academic letter - I always assumed all schools did. That's sad that they don't. The kids with athletic letters "layer" them, pretty cool.

And hkobb7, 15,000 out of 1.5 million = big deal. I would think with your math skills you could figure that out...?

hkobb7

@gouf78
Too busy to put the emphasis where it "really" belongs? That's funny, because my high school is one of the most balanced that I've ever heard of in terms of academics, athletics, and art, and even if it weren't, who gives a damn? I mean, really, why would I EVER care about the academic accomplishments of another person? My grades and scores are my business, and their grades and scores are theirs. Art (performance art, like drama and music, as well as visual art) and athletics exist to entertain people, the viewers. People care about watching athletics and music/drama because that's why those things exist: To be watched. The viewers are a part of the experience, and feel pride when "their" players do well. Academics, the last time I checked, aren't a spectator sport; the rest of the student body doesn't feel pride for an academic honor, and shouldn't, because that's just damn nosy. Did YOU like it when people wanted to see your test scores in school? Only if they were good, I'm sure; that's how nearly everybody is. Athletes, dramatists, and musicians who perform poorly do so in front of plenty of people, and they know it. The risk of humiliation is what makes the GOOD performers worthy of recognition for not being bad.

@Wolverine86
Hey...look! I Can capitalize Words in the middle of sentences...and...use ellipses inappropriately, too! You'll notice, there, that I even duplicated your tone of over-the-top condescension, though I didn't in the above section; I was really impressed by its quality, and wanted to show you some respect. The scholarships that kids win are a GREAT thing, and I agree entirely with you in that regard. However, are a family's finances my business or the business of the entire student body of the high school? Hell, no! I don't want my tax returns or my parents' tax returns on the marquee of the high school, and I don't want to know whether someone needed financial aid to attend college (which many colleges give anyway regardless of merit to many admitted students, rendering National Merit MUCH less vital than you would have us believe). So, I'm clueless? Based on your misconceptions about financial aid, I'm not so sure I'm the clueless one in this thread. Oh, and as an aside, I got a hearty chuckle out of the bitter little jab at the end of your post. As far as accomplishments go, I'd love to congratulate others on their achievements! It's just that the National Merit competition is rigged against those in states with larger populations, and also akin to giving awards to everybody, elementary school-style: And here's a participation trophy for your 206, Jimmy! I mean, if you lived 20 miles south in Colorado, you wouldn't even be close to getting this, but, hey, congrats!

@tommykirkpatrick
That's a good rebuttal. Keep it up, mate.

@Debbie
Kids who wear an academic letter jacket with only an academic letter are made fun of mercilessly here, because wearing your grades on your sleeve is, in general, frowned upon.

@squidge

Actually, my poorest subject is ma--oh, you were kidding!

What I'm getting at, guys, is that competition nationwide (although kids in, say, North Dakota don't actually compete with those in California, which isn't fair at all) isn't, how should I put this, very stiff. Being in the top one percent in the United States is like graduating valedictorian at ITT Tech: It only warrants so many accolades. That's a hyperbolic comparison, but if one is proud of beating out everybody in his or her high school, he might want to go to the shop classes, the home economics classes, or, hell, the learning-disabled classes, just to see whose nose he's rubbing the award in. Are you all proud of bragging to those whose interests fall outside of academics or whose abilities are literally physically diminished? Well, congratulations: You have no class!

tommykirkpatrick

"Are you all proud of bragging to those whose interests fall outside of academics or whose abilities are literally physically diminished? Well, congratulations: You have no class!"

That's ridiculous. I barely know how to properly respond to that kind of assertion. Who's bragging to those kinds of kids (shop class, home ec kids) you're speaking of? No one. In fact, nobody here is "bragging" about anything. If your point is that only people who are in the 0.0001% (or however high your standard happens to be) should be proud of themselves, you're out of your mind. Off with their heads for being happy. Who are you to tell people what they should or shouldn't be proud of? If, like you said, these academic achievements and scholarships aren't anyone else's business, it certainly isn't your business how people recognize them. If you don't think being in the top % warrants any recognition or just a boost in self-esteem (doesn't look like that way), then who exactly should ever be proud of themselves in your world?

Are you against NM because of your little elitist ideology, or are you bitter because you missed out by a point or two in a good state? You certainly sound that way. I'm curious because most people don't just come here and ruin everyone's day by preaching what you're trying to preach.

RawkForGod

At my school, we have a wall in the commons with plaques for every NMSF/NMF in each graduating class, and we recognize them at an academic pep rally towards the end of the year. There is also a list of names for the district on the school district's website, and they are mentioned in the school newsletter. I'm President of my school's NHS, and we also award them with a small trophy at our annual banquet (it will be odd to award myself with that...).

In the fall when the semi-finalists are announced, we are all called into the counseling office, so we know exactly who else received the award. Usually a week later the principal comes on the announcements and announces the names of each one.

Edit: Ten people at my school became semi-finalists. Only one other besides myself could have been awarded using the highest cutoff. South Dakota has such a low cutoff, haha.

hkobb7

@Tommykirkpatrick

Who's bragging? Do we really need to ask this question? The people who are demanding to be recognized before their peers, the people who have an insatiable desire to be called in front of everybody they know and called the cream of the crop, or whatever aggrandizing platitude is on the administrator's mind. Why would you need to be recognized, not in private by the people whom most NMF types respect (GCs, admins, etc), but in front of everybody? The only logical explanation is a need for attention, hardly a good reason to be recognized, and I (and most people, for Christ's sake!) don't want to be made to give my attention or applause for something that doesn't concern me. People can be happy about what they want; it's their prerogative, and I'm glad that they can be happy! But I don't want their grades shoved down my throat, and I don't want mine shoved down theirs. This "off with their heads" dross is both not what I said and the opposite of what I think.

"If you don't think being in the top % warrants any recognition or just a boost in self-esteem (doesn't look like that way), then who exactly should ever be proud of themselves in your world?" Academic achievement is a self-motivated field. I'm not sure if I can say this a different way, but here goes: My grades are my business, and yours are yours. The majority of the people on this thread received little to no recognition, and they're all right with it. In fact, the only people I've noticed complaining a lot (here and elsewhere) are parents! This makes me think you're the odd one out, as students go.

I wonder how I'm being elitist here. Did you read the excerpt that you quoted? I think I made it pretty clear that I'm not so arrogant as to demand everyone's attention for my ego-boost, as you so euphemistically put it. As an aside, no, I didn't miss the cutoff by one or two points. I live in a low-cutoff state, and got a 229.

Another aside, which I touched on earlier: I think it's deplorable that one student, scoring identically to another non-recognized student, can be given the honor of Semifinalist/Finalist in a so-called "national" competition.

gouf78

You are right about one thing. Award recognition in some respects is for the parents who are very proud of their kids. And a tribute to their educators. We (both parents and their teachers) deserve to have our kids recognized for their accomplishments. Great grades are not attained solely because of natural talent ( just as a great athlete needs good coaching).

gouf78

I'm surprised somewhat by the idea that one shouldn't be interested in other's grades. I always wanted to know who the competition was and how I stacked up. Every college curve depends on it.

perazziman

That is too bad, because colleges will never know it and assume you made National merit semifinalist close to your state cut off. Hopefully, you will score over 2300 on the SAT. Good luck.

hkobb7

@gouf78
I guess we just have a fundamental difference in belief, then, at the root of this thing. Cheers!

silencefell

every year we get about anywhere between 2-6 students recognized for national merit*, and they get a picture taken that's displayed in the hallway; this is the same way our school recognizes state/regional musicians/athletes, and the valedictorian/salutarian.

*I believe this includes even those who qualified for commended.

Lolar7

I think my school takes a really laid-back approach to everything. I was the only semi-finalist at my school (and district) this year (we've only had 3 in our entire school history) and I was just named finalist. I am the only finalist my school (and my district) has ever had. They didn't do anything. I was called to the counselor's office and they gave me my certificate and that was that. There was no announcement or anything. I'm also the Salutatorian and there is nothing special about that either. Not even an announcement or anything.

In May we always have an Honors and Awards night to recognize the top ten from each class and to highlight some people who won various scholarships for college. Even then I bet I won't get recognized. I just don't think it's a big deal to my school or my district, apparently.

karaokemachine

We get a visit to the principal's office and some hearty applause.

ClassOf2015HS

The people who get NMSF get a special recognition in the school newspaper. Usually only 1 person a year gets NMSF.

superfishelb1tch

I got a celebratory breakfast. Donuts and fruit AWW YEAH