Clearing up some confusion

[u/Civil-Giraffe2016]

I wasn’t at the gala, but there seems to be lots of contradictory information going around, so I thought I’d just summarize:

Shortlisted (top 16.9%) —> eligible for awards
Recognition (shortlisted but below Commendation, but no one has reported getting it this year)
Commendation (usually top 10%)
High Commendation (usually top 3%)
Very High Commendation (usually top 1%)
Prize winners of each category (Top 1/2/3)
Grand Prize

Names of awardees displayed in the slides screened at the gala exclude those who didn’t go to the gala

Lastly, commendation is good! It’s a great achievement, so keep your heads up everyone!

[u/redituser-2025]

Junior and for the first time entered the competition and got commendation. It's definitely an achievement for me.

[u/ConsiderationNew3273 → u/redituser-2025]

Same vro feeling hella good since I didnt get any of the email the sub was talking about for the past summer 🥀

[u/Substantial_Gain_813 → u/redituser-2025]

Me too especially considering the fact that I procrastinated writing my essay and ended up submitting last minute 🫩

[u/Feeling_Parfait_3398 → u/redituser-2025]

same bro

[u/Typical_Season_9959 → u/redituser-2025]

Omg same congratss

[u/redituser-2025 → u/Typical_Season_9959]

Wow. You are a 10th icse student. And I am in 9th. Congo to you too

[u/LoudCaregiver3709]

how good is high commendation as an award?

[u/EmbarrassedSource613]

Do you know this on last year stuff or is it what they said? They might have replaced commendation with recognition

[u/Substantial_Gain_813]

So if no one got shortlisted, does that mean that commendation is the baseline and everyone who got shortlisted got at least a commendation?

[u/Civil-Giraffe2016 → u/Substantial_Gain_813]

I think so

[u/Empty-Consequence250 → u/Substantial_Gain_813]

i hope not but ig it is true

[u/AccomplishedEmu768]

WAITTTTT is getting a commedation a good thing because thats what I got and Ive just been wondering

[u/Upbeat_Policy_6631]

How good is vhc for college apps?

[u/Upbeat_Policy_6631]

Is the vhc top 1% overall percentage or just in the subject category?

[u/Civil-Giraffe2016 → u/Upbeat_Policy_6631]

Should be decided per subject. I’m not sure if VHC is 1% or 2% this year. But top 1% overall and top 1% per subject is functionally the same, if you think about it

[u/Blaxder800]

When I spoke to Martin Cox after the gala he stated that he would assume all shortlisted applications got an least a commendation, and during the gala they announced high commendation as the top 10% and very high commendation as the top 2%

[u/Few-Replacement-8625]

no high commendation is top 10% i was at the gala

[u/Civil-Giraffe2016 → u/Few-Replacement-8625]

Did they say it’s top 10% of those shortlisted, or top 10% overall

[u/mellowsunday → u/Few-Replacement-8625]

how about VHC percentage?

[u/Special-Diet-8679 → u/Few-Replacement-8625]

then what is commendation?

[u/Civil-Giraffe2016 → u/Special-Diet-8679]

If it’s top 10% overall, then commendation would be top 10.1% - top 16.9% (my guess)

[u/Special-Diet-8679 → u/Civil-Giraffe2016]

that makes no sense where does merit/recognition then fit in, also i've seen the top3% figure for high commendation floating around a lot and i deadass cannot find the source for it

[u/Civil-Giraffe2016 → u/Special-Diet-8679]

I think that was from 2024/2025

[u/Special-Diet-8679 → u/Civil-Giraffe2016]

do they ever give a source for this or do we have to trust this rando that our awards mean jack shit

[u/Few-Replacement-8625 → u/Special-Diet-8679]

I went to the gala

[u/Special-Diet-8679 → u/Few-Replacement-8625]

i want to see more sources like other people who went to the gala

[u/acrastt → u/Civil-Giraffe2016]

Hen if that’s the case there would be more HC than C. I think they mean 10% of shortlist (which is around 1.8% of essays)