Thanks, that helped me hunt it down.
scores from the top examinees are then ranked from high to low in each state. The scores associated with the top 20 male examinees and top 20 female examinees are used to identify the candidates in each state. When ties occur in the cut off score, more than 20 persons of that gender are selected in that state. Once the cut off score is determined for both male and female for an individual state, the lower of the two (if they are different) becomes the universal score for both male and female in that state.
In addition, each Chief State School Officer (CSSO) may nominate ten male and ten female candidates based on their outstanding scholarship, residing in the CSSO’s jurisdiction.
What I wonder about is the ACT. It doesn’t indicate that they are separate. And there are many, many more 36s than 1600 (and even adding in or 1590s), because 35.5 and 35.75 all round to 36.
But it does go to the lower scores of the two top 20s, and includes ties. Which is why the “top 20 plus top 20 plus 20 special nominations” became 170 in PA. But I think that’s still 1590-1600 and 36 only.
Other states have a much higher percentage of the HS population. I’m guessing it’s because the 20th highest score just dipped to 1580 and then every 1580 in the state made it. (Small states may be even lower).
(Follow up, it does say “ For each examinee, the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) and Math SAT score is compared to the ACT English, Reading and Math score. Each student’s highest test score from the first three attempts (in a single test administration) is identified;”.
Science isn’t included, and there are section concordances from math to math and (ACT English + Reading) to EBRW, so that must be it.)