Looking for practice material?

Find thousands of free archived packets for practice and study from the Quizbowl Packet Archive!

The MSA Thread

Discussion of non-quizbowl topics
LibertyMarie
Posts: 2416
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 12:00 am
Location: MO

The MSA Thread

Post by LibertyMarie »

Yeah, a score in the 28-31 range is just absolutely horrible...

AShoaib
Posts: 559
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:00 am

The MSA Thread

Post by AShoaib »

LibertyMarie wrote: Yeah, a score in the 28-31 range is just absolutely horrible...
...I've come to the conclusion that the PLAN test is a load of crud. I asked two other people (both of whom are going to MSA) and my projected ACT was higher than both of theirs.

ecks
Posts: 276
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:00 am
Location: Springfield, IL / Kirksville, MO
Contact:

The MSA Thread

Post by ecks »

How many scholar academies are there in Missouri? I know there are MSA and JBA (Truman's equivalent) at least...

Speaking of GPA, I really liked how my school did it. They had essentially two GPAs: one that they would put on transcripts (that was just a plain old 4.0 scale) and one that was weighted that they used for class ranking (we had 6 "tracks" of classes: 6 AP, 5 Honors, 4 High, 3 Average, 2 Low, 1 Special Ed--your weighted GPA was the 4.0 scale number times the track weight... add them all together and divide by number of classes). That way you can have ranking but don't have that ridiculous stuff like a 12.0 grade scale...

KentB
Posts: 901
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2005 12:00 am
Location: Creve Couer, MO
Contact:

The MSA Thread

Post by KentB »

JBA is just for 7-9th graders while MSA is after your Junior year of high school, I think.

MSA is THE scholars academy.... that´s what I can gather.... JBA is a great program as well, though.

ecks
Posts: 276
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:00 am
Location: Springfield, IL / Kirksville, MO
Contact:

The MSA Thread

Post by ecks »

KentB wrote: JBA is just for 7-9th graders while MSA is after your Junior year of high school, I think.
Gotcha.

hugatree1715
Posts: 212
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:00 am

The MSA Thread

Post by hugatree1715 »

MSA is after your Junior year of high school, I think.
To clear up confusion, MSA is after your sophomore year.

hugatree1715
Posts: 212
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:00 am

The MSA Thread

Post by hugatree1715 »

Today is the Scholar Bowl tournament at MSA! Hopefully, our team will do well. We have two varsity captains (including me) and one varsity starter in our house (at MSA, people are split into 16-person houses). Our house's team should rock.

User avatar
Charlie Dees
Posts: 4134
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:00 am
Location: Columbia, MO

The MSA Thread

Post by Charlie Dees »

Who are they? besides you.

LibertyMarie
Posts: 2416
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 12:00 am
Location: MO

The MSA Thread

Post by LibertyMarie »

Who is your RA???

AShoaib
Posts: 559
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:00 am

The MSA Thread

Post by AShoaib »

Is Kevin Sheng from Eureka (woot!) your other Varsity Captain?

He be representing, my fellow Marxist brotha'.

In other news, St. Louis is now the second most dangerous city, second to Flint, Michigan according to Time (I think...?)

ecks
Posts: 276
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:00 am
Location: Springfield, IL / Kirksville, MO
Contact:

The MSA Thread

Post by ecks »

AShoaib wrote: Is Kevin Sheng from Eureka (woot!) your other Varsity Captain?

He be representing, my fellow Marxist brotha'.

In other news, St. Louis is now the second most dangerous city, second to Flint, Michigan according to Time (I think...?)
Time is chump. City-data.com all the way:

Top 100 Least-Safe Cities in the US (5000+ pop)

East Buc & UMR
Posts: 5401
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2004 12:00 am
Location: Gower
Contact:

The MSA Thread

Post by East Buc & UMR »

Number 36 on Chris' list is great

User avatar
Charlie Dees
Posts: 4134
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:00 am
Location: Columbia, MO

The MSA Thread

Post by Charlie Dees »

It's comforting to know that I work in #2 on that list.

ecks
Posts: 276
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:00 am
Location: Springfield, IL / Kirksville, MO
Contact:

The MSA Thread

Post by ecks »

ashkenaziCD wrote: It's comforting to know that I work in #2 on that list.
Of course, anyone in central/southern Illinois could have told you East St. Louis is dangerous even without the list.










:)

User avatar
Charlie Dees
Posts: 4134
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:00 am
Location: Columbia, MO

The MSA Thread

Post by Charlie Dees »

i think anyone in the U.S. could tell you that. I think there was a Simpsons thing about Springfield being the 2nd most dangerous city behind EStL.

ecks
Posts: 276
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:00 am
Location: Springfield, IL / Kirksville, MO
Contact:

The MSA Thread

Post by ecks »

ashkenaziCD wrote: i think anyone in the U.S. could tell you that. I think there was a Simpsons thing about Springfield being the 2nd most dangerous city behind EStL.
gotta love the wiki:

In the Simpsons episode AABF18, when the local chapter of MENSA takes over the government of Springfield, their influence is such that the city moves to 299th place on America's list of 300 most livable cities. The 300th place being occupied by East St. Louis.

AethyricNomad
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:00 am
Location: Tarkio, MO

The MSA Thread

Post by AethyricNomad »

Yeah, for a short time I was disappointed because I wasn't selected to go to MSA, despite being a sophomore. I got over it about an hour after I became upset, I think, but I still say if anyone was going from my class, it would probably be me...

I almost said that I'm probably the nerdiest in my class, but I don't want to seem too pretentious, so now... I'll leave.

AShoaib
Posts: 559
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:00 am

The MSA Thread

Post by AShoaib »

I'll be blunt, there is ONE person who I really don't think should have gone to MSA from our school. And our QB Captain was all "Oh, c'mon Abdullah, you should've made it into MSA!".

I got over it. It was funny seeing my Gifted Ed. Teacher telling me that I wouldn't be going to MSA. She was all "You're special in your own way, and intelligent, and just because you didn't make it in doesn't mean you're not going to be successful" etc. And I just sat there with a "Um.... okay.... should I be knee deep in grief now?"

flycaitiee69
Posts: 535
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2004 12:00 am
Contact:

The MSA Thread

Post by flycaitiee69 »

Meanwhile, my sophomore year, when they started talking to those of us in the running for MSA, they spent 10 minutes trying to convince us it wasn't nerd camp and we shouldn't be ashamed to go....

LibertyMarie
Posts: 2416
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 12:00 am
Location: MO

The MSA Thread

Post by LibertyMarie »

flycaitiee69 wrote: Meanwhile, my sophomore year, when they started talking to those of us in the running for MSA, they spent 10 minutes trying to convince us it wasn't nerd camp and we shouldn't be ashamed to go....
pshaw, I was psyched from the get-go. ... Maybe that says something about me.

One of my friends' brothers was nominated (goes to Camdenton) and he was not even interested in filling out the application. It made me sad in my heart. I was like, Ashley, have your brother call me, I'll tell him how great it is!! but then I got weird looks. haha


b-t-dubs, to whomever's at MSA now, I really would like to know the identity of your RA. my two best friends from MSA are there, as well as several other friends...Brett and Kate being the two, and also Charlotte, Paul, Arthi, Megan...yeah.

hugatree1715
Posts: 212
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:00 am

The MSA Thread

Post by hugatree1715 »

MSA... what to say about it? The best three weeks I've had during any summer. I would have to say that it slightly beats out going to Stockholm and Latvia with my best friend a few years ago. Our colors this year were pink and green, and I think the theme was WatermelonBubblegum (we never heard an "official" name from Ted). An interesting fact about me: I am the first second-generation scholar ever; my dad went to MSA 2 in 1986.

My RA was Paul, and I would have to say that he was probably the best RA, or at least the most interesting to talk to. And it was widely agreed upon by the other RAs that we were the best house. Paul turned 21 during the academy, and I went out and spent about $120 on food and decorations (not out of pocket, of course; I collected money from my housemates).

One night, Brett and Paul dressed up as Merry and Frodo, and had appropriately matching nametags displaying their newfound Lord of the Rings identities.

Sorry if I left anyone hanging after mentioning our competition, as I didn't visit the computers too often to respond to questions about the varsity starters, etc.

If anyone has any more specific questions about this year's academy, feel free to ask me.

AShoaib
Posts: 559
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:00 am

The MSA Thread

Post by AShoaib »

Ah yes, Kevin told me about this "Paul" bloke. Apparently his picture was stolen and was enshrined in some pseudo-Paul cult memorial.

LibertyMarie
Posts: 2416
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 12:00 am
Location: MO

The MSA Thread

Post by LibertyMarie »

hugatree1715 wrote: An interesting fact about me: I am the first second-generation scholar ever; my dad went to MSA 2 in 1986.

One night, Brett and Paul dressed up as Merry and Frodo, and had appropriately matching nametags displaying their newfound Lord of the Rings identities.
Okay, on the first second-generation thing, that's just AWESOME.

heh heh. Merry always was my favorite hobbit, and boy did I have a big crush on Brett at some point (namely our MSA)...funny how these things work.

hugatree1715
Posts: 212
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:00 am

The MSA Thread

Post by hugatree1715 »

Apparently his picture was stolen and was enshrined in some pseudo-Paul cult memorial.
Yes, it was quite extensive. It included the picture, some candy bar wrappers from Paul, a few of his hats that "disappeared" from his room, and much more. I think at one point someone was trying to get his sheets from his bed (which I thought was a little odd).

Post Reply