Only 16 National Merit Semifinalists?

[XdesIDtrans]

X had 34 in 1999, not sure about most in state
X had 26 in 2001, "
X had 22 in 2000, "
X had 27 in 2002, most in state
X had 32 in 2003, most in state
X had 28 in 2004, most in state
X had 25 in 2005, most in state
X had 23 in 2006, 2nd in state
X had 16 in 2007
So they have 16 this year - a school doesn't go down hill in one year, the most anyone had was 20 - down year for everyone in Ohio.

Sycamore had 12 in 2000
Sycamore had 31 in 2001
Sycamore had 15 in 2002
Sycamore had 25 in 2003
Sycamore had 16 in 2004
Sycamore had 22 in 2005
tired of looking for 2006
Sycamore had 20 in 2007

Before this year X had a 30 yr ave. of 24 NMSF a year, as you might notice by Sycamore (as the example I've included, though there are others), the number of national merit semifinalists a school has is not usually terribly consistent 12 - 31 - 15 - 25 - 15 - 22, so now St. X is inconsistent. I'm not worried, 16 is a lot, especially this year, other schools have dropped off worse than that and come right back the next year many times...besides, they should be congratulated, not compared to other St. X classes.

 

[jcr985]

since X denies kids that are going to get 210+ PSAT scores

X denies kids that would get 210+ on the PSAT? Doubtful. A 210 would be 97-98 percentile. X has never been so selective as to turn away those in the 97-98 percentile range.

Congrats on the 16.

 

[D-Swizzel102]

sarcasm???

 

[jcr985]

sarcasm???

in my congratulations? no, i was serious.

an outsider can have a good word about x without being sarcastic.

 

[shakeandbake]

in my congratulations? no, i was serious.

an outsider can have a good word about x without being sarcastic.

The guy you were responding to was sarcastic (BomberBlue07).
That's what Swizzel meant.

 

[XtremeXFan]

i got comended... they gave me a certificate that said something to the effect of

"congradz, you're almost smart" lol ouch

 

[D-Swizzel102]

The guy you were responding to was sarcastic (BomberBlue07).
That's what Swizzel meant.

yes.

 

[Syc2006CCP]

as a sycamore grad give thoose 16 that did get national merit a high five. One is going to have "off" years as national merit is based on the percentile of the home state so also depends on your score compared to the others.

so schools in the area that have sold out for football (colrain) barely have 20 national merits in the school history.

16 for an off year is very very dam good

 

[The Bomber Man]

Let's face it, our senior class this year just is terrible in general.

 

[mannhoodd]

Let's face it, our senior class this year just is terrible in general.

someone finally had the balls to say it

 

[Adam97]

Curriculum change?

While it is true that the PSAT primarily tests 'aptitude', I still think the curriculum has some influence. When I took the pre-PSAT plan thing as a sophomore, I scored very highly on the verbal, but only a 660 on the math. After taking Mrs. Micheals pre-calc class, I scored a perfect math score on the ACT, PSAT, SAT, SAT II subject test (pre-calculus), and the Quantitative component of the GRE. I don't think that the class taught material that was on those tests, but it definately taught me how to organize my thoughts, think through a problem logically and efficiently, and set up word problems. I was a 'B' student in that class(88% average or so) the first semester by the way.

My question is this: Is the upper level math track still Algebra II--> Prob/stat/geometry--> precalc----> BC calc? I am just asking this because I felt that I learned more geometry in second semester precalc than in actual geometry, which caused me to be lower on the learning curve than others who took geometry sophomore year. I think that moving the trigonometry component of precalc to the first semester would result in higher test scores for juniors, but I am not sure if it would ultimately improve calculus comprehension.

Recently I have begun teaching chemistry at the college level. The two X graduates that I have taught were fine students, and were well prepared for college. I do not get the sense that the quality of education is declining. I cannot comment on the admissions standards, but the skyrocketing price of tuition may cause some potential students to go to a fine public school such as Walnut Hills or Sycamore.

 

[MrBill]

How have Freshmen enrollment numbers looked over the past 5-10 years? Gone up or down? I'm assuming it's up, but does anybody have a breakdown by year?

 

[XtremeXFan]

They have trended upwards with the 07 class being an exception

 

[The Bomber Man]

They have trended upwards with the 07 class being an exception

Oh what a surpise....

 

[SlackTheNoot]

Oh what a surpise....

i assume youre some dead-finger-snapping, new-lanyard-twirling sophomore who is upset with the senior class because they don't have a VP who constantly jokes about his weight. the class of 07 is fine, you just worry about your class

 

[patiscool1]

i assume youre some dead-finger-snapping, new-lanyard-twirling sophomore who is upset with the senior class because they don't have a VP who constantly jokes about his weight. the class of 07 is fine, you just worry about your class

Or he's a senior who's more than likely going to an upper tier ivy league school....nice guess though.

 

[The Bomber Man]

Or he's a senior who's more than likely going to an upper tier ivy league school....nice guess though.

Hey, he was kinda close...well, not really, but anyways... BTW, I'm looking over Linear Algebra right now, and it's mighty boring after doing so much work...can't anyone spice these boards up?!

 

[I say]

other than nako whose in that class

 

[MrBill]

They have trended upwards with the 07 class being an exception

Numbers, man. I'm looking for numbers. Anyone in the know over there?

 

[xbomberd08]

X denies kids that would get 210+ on the PSAT? Doubtful. A 210 would be 97-98 percentile. X has never been so selective as to turn away those in the 97-98 percentile range.

Congrats on the 16.

True, which means this is just a "down year" so to speak, or else the kids aren't learning enough AFTER they begin at St. X. 16 is a great number for almost any school in the state, and it's impossible to increase the number of semifinalists every year, you're going to drop off sometime.

 

[xbomberd08]

Numbers, man. I'm looking for numbers. Anyone in the know over there?

I know the class of 2006 was the largest class with about 450? freshmen, then 2007 was down because of so many students in the '06 class, then 2008 was the 2nd largest with about 430 starting as freshmen, and if I'm not mistaken 2009 was bigger than '08 but I'm not sure if they were bigger than '06.

 

[stxconquistadores]

rumor has it class of 08 has 56.5 NMSF this year.... talk about impressive i mean every x alum should tip their hats to these 56.5 men cause thats impressive

 

[MrBill]

And how has tuition changed over the past 5-10 years? Gone up/down? Stayed the same?

 

[XtremeXFan]

Tuition has gone up $500 bucks each year for the four years that I have been there.

 

[StXBomber07]

Glad to see so many grads and currents students concerned about the academics of the school but I think we're doing ok...I think it's funny that we're pissed about missing being top in the state for back to back years...One other thing is that I know for class of 07 (don't know about 06) our PSAT was our first day back after essentially a 5 day weekend of Walk then having Mon and Tues off so that could have had something to do with it...was actually why they made us all come back on Tues this year :laugh:

 

[BearcatBasketball10]

Seven Hills - 75 people in class of 07 - 19 semifinalists... 25% (rounding down)
St. Xavier - 335 people in class of 07 - 16 seminfalists... 5% (rounding up)

yet X remains the finest secondary school when it comes to academics in the 513

 

[sportstruth]

16 is a disgrace.

Do we go to STX, or are we all living in Hartwell working at Lee's Famous Recipe?

I, for one, hope the administration takes control of this problem before we lose our accreditation as a 4 year high school.

Also, these low test scores are going to bring the armed forces recruiters out in droves...

 

[CCrunner87]

Seven Hills - 75 people in class of 07 - 19 semifinalists... 25% (rounding down)
St. Xavier - 335 people in class of 07 - 16 seminfalists... 5% (rounding up)

yet X remains the finest secondary school when it comes to academics in the 513

idk much about Seven Hills so for all I know they could be consistant too, but what is impressive about X's scores on things like national semifinalists is that X usually stays pretty consistent due to the number of people it has taking the test. There aren't many "up" or "down" years, but this year happened to be a "down" year.

btw, I consider X a great academic school from first hand experience. I'm a freshman in college and see lots of other kids struggling to adjust to college. I've heard lots of kids say stuff similar to: "I don't even know how to study because I never had to in high school." I feel like there has been very little increase in work in college, if any after going to St. X. So I guess in the end I don't need to see test scores to know that St. X is a good school because it prepared me well for college.

 

[Los Calcetines]

is it me or is anyone else's btt holes really hairy?

 

[Simply X]

btw, I consider X a great academic school from first hand experience. I'm a freshman in college and see lots of other kids struggling to adjust to college. I've heard lots of kids say stuff similar to: "I don't even know how to study because I never had to in high school." I feel like there has been very little increase in work in college, if any after going to St. X. So I guess in the end I don't need to see test scores to know that St. X is a good school because it prepared me well for college.

Agree with everything you say. Thus far my college experience has been significantly easier in comparison to my high school experience. You really do notice the difference between a kid that went to certain high schools and those that went to one like X.