Re: What are people smoking?
 

I would smack someone if they asked me that.

Don't do it, Dinosis!

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Because Loras and Wartburg are so presTTTigious that they had a lot of other options. And those are kids from IOWA - there are 49 other great states in the union. I'd rather be a Hawkeye than a Cyclone anyday.

Daaaaaaaamn. He laid the smackdown.

-Rudey

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So the University of Florida is the best public school in the country, by your assessment? I'm sure Cal will be interested in your findings.

Interestingly, I went to the feeder school that produces around 40% of all Iowa National Merit Scholars (as of 99, when I graduated) - of these I know exactly one that went to ISU, he went because it was free for NMS. That may or may not have impact on that statistic - apparently that's a pretty good incentive, it would appear.

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That's totally the reason that they're going. The state schools give so much money to their mediocre to high-achieving students in order for them to stay in-state, of COURSE they're going to either stick around their home state or go to another state school. I'd totally put Cal, UVa, Michigan, and a few more over UF.

I know National Merit kids who turned down Harvard, Yale, etc. to go to UF because between Bright Futures, their college funds, minority scholarships, and National Merit money--it was too good to pass up. I, on the other hand, opted to get the hell out of Floriduh.

So, that "list" doesn't mean that much in terms of quality.

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Agreed - it's an interesting dynamic . . . although I took the money too, just not from ISU. I stand by my decision, and I don't fault others, but it seems hollow to push these sort of programs as "bottom-up" programs when, in reality, they are purely motivated by statistics. US News and World Reports has murdered the college selection process in so many ways . . .

Joel, Chill. Valkyrie was mostly being facetious (mostly) and referring to something that happened way before your time -- and even mine -- on GC. I love Iowa State and I know we get plenty of great students and a lot to be proud of (hello, inventor of the rice krispie treat is an ISU alumna), but hell, even I know that we're not a top tier University for a lot of things. Besides, I learned way back in elementary school it's just not worth it to argue with Hawkeyes.

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I've got to agree with this.

Where the National Merit Scholars choose to go doesn't mean much. I was a finalist and I chose Minnesota over Texas and Wisconsin, among other schools (and didn't even apply to a number of more prestigious schools that, with my stats, I could have probably gotten into). And when there's a financial incentive to go to a particular school, that pretty much sums up why they're choosing to go.

Furthermore -- National Achievement Scholars are different from National Merit. The National Achievement awards are only offered to African-Americans, I believe (or racial minorities -- at any rate, not the same thing as National Merit).

Not that I'm getting involved in this debate or anything . . . I'm sure both schools have their good points. And Iowa State doesn't have IHE. ;-)

i smokie cigarettes!

jharb's screenname on AIM: ihave really goodhair!

Good to know, good to know.

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Tee hee...

What's scary...I would've said it with a smile like five years ago!

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National Achievement is just National Merit for African-American students. So, it's pretty much the same thing in terms of doing well on PSATs, and getting money for college.

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Not to continue the hijack, but...
It really is an interesting discussion...I placed pretty well in the National Merit program and ended up not even considering some prestigious schools (although I'd argue that Boston U. is pretty darn good). Hell, our National Merit Scholar at my school went to UConn.

Money is an interesting issue in all of this...I'd like to see stats on percentage of how many of those in the National Merit Program go to state schools, and how many go to Ivy League. It would be pretty interesting.

One of my best friends from high school was a National Achievement Scholar - she's at Princeton. I don't think she considered Iowa State.

I'm really old and have forgotten. I was an NMS "commended student" but not an actual Scholar eligible to receive anything. Do you have to do anything above and beyond your PSAT or is it all just based off of that? (Hope this makes sense, it's early)