Delusions of Adequacy

Okay. I'm going to pretend that there is someone out there, reading this. I'm also going to pretend that they are outside the New York State Public High School System.

The State has a Board of Regents. They say that we have to know specific things, and they have a series of state-mandated Exams, called, Regents Exams. There's two math (Math A and Math B), one English, one foreign language, two social studies (Global, and USHistGov't), and four science (Earth Science, Bio, Chem, and Physics).

The passing grade foe the state is 55%. My district says 65%. Fine. There's also this thing called "Mastery". Basically, you've mastered the subject matter, and got an 85% or better on the exam.

I'm one of those geeks, who has, like, no social life. A blog, and iChat. You know, I sit and read the Dictionary, or one of my textbooks. For fun. Up until the end of this year, I had missed Mastery on one exam (math B), and only by one point.

Doesn't bother me; I don't want to be a mathematician.

I want to be a Physicist.

Here's my problem: On the Physics Regents, I got -- ready? -- a 79.

(btw: I'm crestfallen.)

If there is actually someone reading this, you don't have to have sympathy from me. I'm used to this kind of thing.

The PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) carries with it a second Acronym: NMSQT. The National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Based on you grade on the PSAT, if your total grade -- your "score index" -- falls within the top 55,000 scores in the country, you get a Scholarship from the National Merit Corporation. And all colleges in the United States either accept it or match it.

This year, you needed a 201 or better to get the scholarship.

I got a 200.

So, I post a question to the comments section: What's the deal with summer school? I'm taking the exam again.