Takoma Park Middle School and Montgomery Blair High School question

[Anonymous]

9:28 again. Just realized that OP pulled out after 7th grade, not after 6th, so my 2nd point is obviously irrelevant.

But it's still the case that my kid is having a very positive social experience, plus benefiting from the competitive environment after having coasted through much of elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Hey there :)
I stumbled upon this page when I was looking into the application process for Takoma for my little brother.
I am a student currently enrolled in the Blair Magnet Program (sophomore) and also an alum of the Takoma Magnet Program as well. I noticed that it's mostly parents on this thread and I thought I should add my experiences as a student.
I was accepted into both Eastern and Takoma, and although I really wanted to attend Eastern, my parents pushed me to go to TPMS. I decided to take a chance on Takoma and I'm so glad I did.

As far as academics go, I never had too many difficulties with anything. It's set up so that each year gets progressively harder, so you don't suddenly feel as if there's too much work. I was also in the top math class for my grade: I started with Algebra 1 in 6th grade, Geometry in 7th, and Algebra 2 in 8th. I guess you could consider me a super nerd :P, but i never thought that I was lacking in the social department. There were plenty of hangouts, movies, and drama just as there are in regular schools. I had no problem being friends with both magnet and non-magnet students, although I wasn't on a sports team.

I'm not really too crazy about Comp Sci (as we call it), and I will definitely NOT be pursuing a career in it, but honestly say that now I am great at using computers. Besides learning the actual topics covered by the material, you really learn how computers work logically, so you can easily solve any problems you may encounter in the future. You get really comfortable with the use of computers; this is a must for high school.

The science aspect of the program was great. We covered a lot of topics that provide a solid foundation for future learning (as long as you actually learn it that is). The 7th grade science teacher, Mr. Goehring, has to be one of the most caring and dedicated teachers I have ever had in my life.

Socially, the magnet has some of the craziest and quirkiest characters I've ever seen (sometimes just plain weird and super annoying), and it gets even more prominent in high school. However, I couldn't have asked for better friends. Once you find your niche, you make strong bonds with your friends, and I still see my middle school friends often, even though it can be hard for us to meet (the perpetual magnet student's problem: you don't live in the same neighborhood with your friends). The magnet kids are hands down the most accepting kids I have ever met. It's easy for them to hold a conversation about anything as long as they feel accepted by the other person as well). I'm so grateful that I never had to be a part of the teasing environment that I hear so much about from friends in other schools.

I've noticed that magnet teachers are a little different than other teachers. The approach and relationship they have with the students is unlike anything I've ever felt in an English class. A magnet class makes you feel free of social pressure (not completely free, since you're still a teenager :P, but nonetheless), and you feel confident enough to speak your mind and really soak in the material.

Overall, I am 100% sure that the decision to go to Takoma for the Magnet Program benefited me in a strong way. Even though I'm a magnet, I still make bad decisions, would rather hang with my friends that my family, and have raging hormones just like any other teen in any other school. I wouldn't have done it any other way. :)

Ask me about specifics or the Blair Magnet Program if you want. You can call me AJ for reference.

[Anonymous]

What a great post, thanks!

[Anonymous]

AJ:

Thanks for your enlightening comments. Do you feel you would have gained a similar experience if you had attended Eastern instead of Takoma? What are the experiences of any acquaintances that opted for Eastern?

At Eastern would there be an option for the advanced math and science student to take some of these offerings at the neighboring high school in the Blair Magnet program?

Thanks in advance for your response.

[Anonymous]

Addendum:

AJ: My question above relates to the known occasional student from TPMS magnet program bumped up to the math selection in the Blair magnet (e.g., Functions).

[Anonymous]

AJ here.
A few of my friends did attend Eastern, but I don't know of anyone who took Functions at Blair from Eastern. I don't know if it is available, but I do know that to qualify for Functions at all, the student must have have gotten a teacher recommendation from his Algebra 2 or Geometry teacher (Functions is NOT a class you can opt to take, you MUST have a recommendation. I would suggest talking to your child's teacher about this if they go to Eastern. At Takoma, this is a commonplace procedure so the teacher knows about it already). As far as the academics at Eastern go, I wouldn't doubt that they provide a great education in their program classes (similar to the Comp Sci class at Takoma, Eastern magnet has an extra class called Media), albeit different from Takoma (However, just as English and Social Studies, depending on the teacher, were sometimes a little bit lacking at Takoma, the math and science at Eastern is a bit lacking as well, from what I've heard from Eastern students).
I was a little bit put off by some of the Eastern kids. They are entirely different from any magnet or non-magnet student I encountered at Takoma. Let's just say that if that was the atmosphere exuded by the students at Eastern, I would've chosen TPMS any day, no matter how good the academics at Eastern may be.

It seems that Takoma Magnet is a stepping stone to Blair Magnet, as Eastern Magnet is to the CAP Program at Blair. In my experience, some kind of program is usually better than no program (if they are getting funded, they're probably offering something useful; with the money shortages, the Board is looking for any excuse to cut a program). It also really depends on the student's personality when deciding where to go; you don't have to be a nerd to go to Takoma, and you don't have to like writing essays to go to Eastern. I also know of a few students who attended Eastern Magnet first, and then Blair Magnet. As far as I know, they enjoyed both programs.

**Side note: Eastern switched to a regular 7 period day, so I'm not quite sure how the program classes fit in as of now... Takoma and Blair both have block schedules (alternating classes every other day, although Blair's schedule is a little bit more complex and takes some getting used to).

To answer your question, though:
I doubt any student capable of taking advanced math or science courses would be denied that privilege if they truly are ready for that material. However, I don't know of any Physics or Chemistry class that included a middle schooler (we took both freshman year, 1st semester Physics, 2nd - Chem, however, both semesters covered a year's worth of material, so we got 1.0 credit each for Physics and for Chem). Every year, there are anywhere from one to a few Takoma Magnet kids in the Functions class, but I have never heard of any Eastern kids taking Functions.

Unfortunately, it is all too possible that your child might have to coast by in their math and science classes at Eastern if they are ready for more advanced material but cannot receive it. If you would like to achieve that super-well-roundedness :P may I suggest Eastern Magnet followed by Blair Magnet? (I know that in a perfect world you wouldn't have to worry about admissions...) If I could go back in time to rechoose my Middle School, it would still be TPMS. I don't regret choosing that program (or the Blair Program, for that matter, although I was incredibly close to going to RM for IB instead), though I'm probably a little bit biased :P

~AJ

[Anonymous]

Thanks AJ; your insights are helpful. What were the humanities courses (e.g., languages, history, writing, English) like at TPMS? Were there options to take at an advanced or honors pace? Regarding languages: was Mandarin/Chinese an option? If not, is there a demand for this and what is the administration's position on this? I gather the Principal of TPMS is headed to Blair this fall? How will this impact both TPMS (and the magnet program) and Blair?

Thanks again for your insight.

[Anonymous]

AJ - New poster here. First, thank you for sharing your experience. Here are a few questions I have with regards to Blair:

(1) How well do students who did not attend a magnet middle school perform academically and socially in the Blair Magnet Program? Are there any areas that they may be behind? If yes, any suggestions for catching up?;
(2) How are the non-magnet classes (i.e., English, Social Studies, Spanish, P.E.)? Are the honor classes challenging?;
(3) What is the amount of homework like each night (freshman year especially)? Is there time to participate on a sports team, music lessons, and clubs? Or is the magnet program all encompassing; with little time to do anything besides study?;
(4) I have heard that the atmosphere is extremely competitive -please comment.
(5) What is the extent, if any, problems with gangs and/or crime in general at Blair? Do you feel safe? during school hours? after school hours?
(6) Do you feel the magnet students at Blair are well rounded?
(7) Is there anything or anywhere students should avoid at Blair?
(8) What advise would you give to incoming students to Blair?

Again, thank you for thoughtful and articulate comments.

[Anonymous]

Ok, since there are a lot of questions, I'll just answer each one :)

"What were the humanities courses (e.g., languages, history, writing, English) like at TPMS?"
I think that it really depends on the teacher. The curriculum is good, but it is up to the teacher on how to mold that material into a successful or unsuccessful class.
Also, there are no writing classes at TPMS as far as I know.
Teachers that are undoubtedly good: Ms. Baudry (7th and 8th grade social studies), Mr. Kim (6th grade social studies), Ms. Rosenthal (8th grade english), Ms. Deeny (spanish 2 and 3), Ms. Mangiafico(French 1-3).
Teachers up for interpretation (it depends on the student and how they perceive them): Ms. Carroll (Spanish 1 and maybe Spanish 2?), Ms. Medland (english 7), Ms. Chang (7th grade social studies), Mr. Wilson (TV Studio - and, for the record, I loved his class, but it is definitely NOT for lazy people who need to take any elective to pass), Ms. Brooner (FACS - super easy class, I found her a bit boring), Ms. Beatty (8th grade english, can sometimes be too strict), Ms. Pleasant (English 7), Mr. Houghton (social studies 8), Ms. Lett(social studies 8)
For more info on teachers (now that you have specific names), you can go to ratemyteachers.com

"Were there options to take at an advanced or honors pace?"
All magnets are required to take GT/Honors classes in all subjects not in the Magnet Program (except Gym, obviously). For non-magnet students, it is an option to take GT/Honors classes. In fact, most non-magnet students do take upper level classes.

"Regarding languages: was Mandarin/Chinese an option? If not, is there a demand for this and what is the administration's position on this?"
When I was at TPMS only Spanish and French were offered. I don't think that offering Mandarin/Chinese is a burning issue, but I'm guessing that the administration would be all for it if more than a few parents asked (and if they had the means). TPMS is all about diversity.

"I gather the Principal of TPMS is headed to Blair this fall? How will this impact both TPMS (and the magnet program) and Blair?"
I really loved Ms. Johnson, and I'm SO glad she's coming to Blair. Mr. Williams, the previous Blair principal, (as far as I know) never did much, but knowing Ms. Johnson, I'm positive she will be a VERY active part of the Blair community. She is very devoted. The new principal for TPMS is Ms. Mildred Charley-Greene, but I don't know anything about her. She was previously an assistant principal at Einstein HS, which also has program-like academies, so I'm sure that she is familiar with the Silver Spring/Takoma Park community and will serve it well.

"How well do students who did not attend a magnet middle school perform academically and socially in the Blair Magnet Program? Are there any areas that they may be behind? If yes, any suggestions for catching up?"
If they have been accepted to Blair, it is a very good sign that they are ready for that level of difficulty, so I wouldn't worry too much about catching up. Even if you haven't taken Comp Sci before, they start from scratch, and you aren't expected to know anything that they wouldn't teach in a regular middle school (a lot of students in Blair magnet aren't from Takoma, and they do just fine). Students are already prepared for the academics - the teachers will pick up where they left off in middle school and continue from there. Sure, it may be easier for magnet kids, but non-magnet kids have the same opportunities to succeed. If you want to stand out from the crowd of clueless freshmen ;) I would suggest not catching up, but going even a little bit further. You should read up a few thing that you KNOW won't be on the curriculum, maybe even random trivia, anything works. The number one way to stand out (in a positive way) from the crowd is to know things that you wouldn't be expected to know. Obviously, you won't be quizzed on them, but a lot of the teachers LOVE if you know extra tidbits about chemistry or math (and its history). An important thing to note is that Magnet teachers at Blair really like gossiping and talking amongst each other ;) So, if one teacher really takes a liking to you, the other ones will know about it fairly soon, and it will give you a little bit of an advantage in your future classes (even in the 2nd semester on freshman year - your classes will most likely change).
About social performance: it is incredibly easy to make friends with magnet kids, so if you are the only kid from your school it'll only take a few days, if not a few classes, to make some good friends that will stick with you for all 4 years. :) Just remember to be open and don't judge them. Blair is all about community, diversity, and an open-mind, so all the kids, whether regular, CAP, or magnet, will gladly welcome you.

"How are the non-magnet classes (i.e., English, Social Studies, Spanish, P.E.)? Are the honor classes challenging?"
I find that those classes really depend on the teacher. If your teacher is super boring, then you won't like the class. Mr. Goldberg (9th grade Honors English) deserves a serious honorable mention. As you get into AP classes (AP NSL available in 10th grade with a teacher recommendation, AP Lang and Lit are available in 11th and 12th grade). Besides AP NSL, you can't take any AP classes until junior year. Overall, my advice is to take AP as soon as possible for non-magnet classes like English and History. The curriculum is great, but the class atmosphere is totally dependent on the teacher. Actually, some magnet students say that their English and History classes are HARDER than magnet classes - I don't think so, but there are apparently some who do. You definetely can't just coast by, you have to do at least SOME work :P. Unfortunately, all the Spanish teachers are a bit crazy... I have NEVER heard anyone say anything positive about a Spanish teachers besides the fact that some don't give much homework... I'm pretty sure that French is a bit better, in terms of teachers available. Also, I have heard positive things about Japanese and Arabic. The gym classes are just like regular gym. There is actually a phenomenon known as "Magnet Gym". This occurs when a student has gym during 9th period, which is from 2:10pm-3pm, when only magnet and CAP students have any classes. In this class, 9th period gym, there are only magnet students (and the occasional CAP student). This gym atmosphere is much more relaxed and, care-free, shall we say :)

"What is the amount of homework like each night (freshman year especially)? Is there time to participate on a sports team, music lessons, and clubs? Or is the magnet program all encompassing; with little time to do anything besides study?"
There is definitely plenty of time to do extra-curriculars in the magnet. If you participate on a sports team, you are required to take Study Hall, which is during 9th period, so that during your sports season you are free to leave to go play. The number one, MOST IMPORTANT thing, is to manage your time well. Magnets are famous for procrastinating and managing their time poorly. I know kids who will start their homework at 9pm because they were on Gmail chatting from 4 to 9. I'd say the average time for homework is 2 hours, but most days during 1st semester you won't have more than 30 minutes. 2nd semester is harder, since you have Chemistry. For Chem, do NOT put off homework just because it's not collected. You should finish the HW by the date Mr. Pham assigns, because you might get swamped with work out of nowhere, and if you have stuff to do from before, it won't be good. They call 1st semster the "honeymoon period", because it's so easy. They let you settle into the magnet during that time, and they don't pile on the HW too much. With Chem (and if you take advanced Comp Sci) comes a LOT of work and thought-processes. A strategy I used, which may not necessarily work for everyone, was to save work that could be done later, for the weekend. The is because some time during 2nd semester, you will start to wear down a little bit, and it will be more difficult to take that initiative and maintain a positive working pattern. On weekends I find it easier to get my work done, even though sometimes, it piles up when you save it for the weekend like that. 2nd semester freshman year is one of the hardest semesters in the whole program, so you MUST manage your time well. As long as you do that, you will almost never have any problems with a HW overload. All 4 years are completely doable.
I should mention that 2nd semster freshman year, most of junior year, and 1st semester senior year are considered the hardest in the magnet.

"I have heard that the atmosphere is extremely competitive -please comment."
There are a few students in each grade, maybe 2-5, that are crazy competitive. They will literally do anything to come out on top (except sabotaging other people). Cheat, copy others' work, get "help" from other students who end up doing it for them, etc. Try to avoid dealing with these kids as much as possible. They are viewed in a very negative light by the rest of the magnets. The magnet students are all about community, support, and acceptance. These overly competitive kids do NOT look good to the others. Of course, everyone has some level of competitiveness, but nothing that is off-putting or bad. What most kids don't understand is that stomping on other people in the magnet won't get them anywhere too significant. The most important weapon to have in your arsenal is the support of the veteran teachers, and just magnet teachers in general. Being a teacher's pet won't get you anywhere, you must stand out in different ways to get attention. The atmosphere is more about support and friendliness than anything else.

"What is the extent, if any, of problems with gangs and/or crime in general at Blair? Do you feel safe? during school hours? after school hours?"
There are, of course, some shady people, just as there are everywhere. I don't know of any gangs in our school, and there is almost never any crime within the school except the occasional joint. 98% of the time, I feel completely safe at Blair, especially during school hours. The best approach to avoid problems is just to ignore anyone who might push you or be rude to you (this diminishes significantly as you get older). Avoid any and all conflicts if possible.

"Do you feel the magnet students at Blair are well rounded?"
Some more than others. Students are most developed in subjects and areas that they are interested in. Each student has their individual 'problem-subject' - for these, you will have to try twice as hard to get where everyone else stands. (You probably already know your problem-subjects; if not, you'll know within the first 2 weeks of a class). Every alum of Blair I've ever talked to, including students who attend Ivy League schools, all say that Blair was at least a little bit harder. Blair Magnet will prepare you EXTREMELY well for any path you choose to take (however, if you really don't like ANY of the focus subjects in the magnet, I would recommend the Richard Montgomery IB Program). The one problem that seems universal :P among magnet students is their lack of ability in hands-on work that you need in the R&E class (Research and Experimentation). If you're not good at that type of thing, your friends, teachers, and peers will always be there to help you somehow. I know that IB claims to be super well-rounded and all that. I almost went to RM. I am SO happy I went to Blair! :) I know that I am getting THE best education I could have ever gotten. I'm learning things I will never learn anywhere else and that suits me just fine.

"Is there anything or anywhere students should avoid at Blair?"
Avoid, at all costs, doing dumb things and making stupid mistakes in magnet classes (Saying or doing something that you know will displease the teacher; I do NOT mean answering the question wrong or anything like that, which is entirely acceptable :P). Always do exactly what the teachers ask you.
Avoid confrontation with shady people.
Avoid putting off work, it WILL catch up with you eventually and screw you up.
Avoid taking AP versions of magnet classes!! Magnet is higher level than AP. If you want to get the AP credit so you don't have to take that class in college, you can take the Magnet version, read up on the AP test in a textbook, and just take the AP test, instead of wasting time in an AP class. You will still get the AP credit if you take the test without taking the AP course. (You might, however, need to take AP Physics or AP Chem, since you only get a semester to learn a year's worth of material for the magnet physics and chem. If you want to pursue a career in that subject, TAKE THE AP COURSE to learn at a slower pace and firmly solidify the information in your brain.

"What advice would you give to incoming students to Blair?"
You might HATE the magnet program during the first 1-3 months. Give it time. I couldn't stand magnet for the first 2 months even though I went to TPMS Magnet. Now, I love it. I wouldn't give it up for anything. Also, there are some times when you feel that you literally cannot handle the workload (This includes your extra-curriculars!). That will pass. I never had a single night that I stayed up past 9 doing homework.
Rely on your friends for emotional support.
Take initiative whenever you can. The teachers love that. (However, I wouldn't recommend working ahead or anything like that. I mean learning supplementary things and stuff like that).
If you need help, come to Math Help at lunch. They help you with EVERYTHING, and every subject, not just math! When you start at Blair, they'll stress this as well, and will give you the room numbers.
Ask upperclassmen about anything and everything :) They know, they've been there... :P

~AJ

PS. Sorry for the essay-length responses... :P

[Anonymous]

Interesting perspective. We appreciate your response.

[Anonymous]

AJ, do the CAP kids interact with the math/science kids much?

Does the "Eastern" attitude continue into high school/CAP?

I have a kid heading to Eastern in September. He is super psyched about it and the program looked amazing. The kids I know who are going are pretty down to earth -- they are all kids from the elementary HG centers -- who sound a lot like the kids you describe from TPMS .... some quirky, all very accepting and supportive ... so I'm surprised to hear your observations and wonder if you could share more.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if maybe it was just that year of kids that was bad, since every class is different. The kids at Eastern who come from GT centers are the most normal. I just kept hearing about all this drama going on at Eastern, and I am not a fan. The whole "I'm only 12 but I have serious guy problems", drama does not fly with me. I found that the Eastern kids were a bit shallow. Actually, the Eastern guys seem pretty normal, but the girls are waaay too high-maintenance if you know what I mean. There was a point in time when the girls made up code names for all the guys, and I was over it :P. I'm sure that it seems different when you're actually a student there, but to an outsider it just seems ridiculous.

CAP is similar, except, it gets worse in high school. CAP has a boy girl ratio of about 90 girls for every 10 guys. Once again, all the guys seem fine, but the girls seem pretty bad. It is as clique-y as it can get, and I have almost never seen a CAP girl talking to anyone else but a CAP girl... If you want to pursue humanities I would suggest the IB program. One of my friends got a late admission to CAP about a semester into the year, and he says that CAP is easier than what he did before. From what I've heard, my guess is that CAP is more of a social experience than an academic one.

CAP kids and magnets don't really interact much, except for a few kids. I'm friends with most of the 9 CAP guys. The CAP girls rarely communicate with anyone but each other.

I'm not bashing, this is just my opinion.

~AJ

[Anonymous]

Sort of digging up an old post, but if anyone's still listening...
I'm in the Blair Magnet program, having "switched teams" coming out of the Eastern Magnet in 8th grade. I really enjoyed my time at Eastern (though my experience as class of 2008 is visibly different from what Eastern is today) and I am loving my time in the Magnet at Blair. Here are some points/counterpoints to previous questions and AJ's comments.

I don't want to talk too much about my experience at Eastern personally because most of the teachers that I have things to say about have retired or left, and because of the change in schedule, it's not even the same kind of "blocking" that I remember. My impression is that the program has been hurt significantly by the teacher turnover and schedule change. However, I would check out the school for yourself. The curriculum itself is quite good and the kids that come out of there are really great.

Despite rumors to the contrary, Eastern Magnet does not guarantee you a free pass into the CAP or RM IB program. (CAP is typically dominated by Eastern students, though, and RM has a significant number of them.) On the flip side, it also doesn't mean that you're automatically ineligible for the Blair Magnet, which is awfully nice.

(However, just as English and Social Studies, depending on the teacher, were sometimes a little bit lacking at Takoma, the math and science at Eastern is a bit lacking as well, from what I've heard from Eastern students).

This is exceptionally true. Eastern math is... not very good. That's not to say that the Eastern kids who enter the Blair magnet are "bad" at math - overall, they've just been taught poorly. I passed Eastern math with good to excellent grades and found myself floundering when I first came to Blair. If you are attending Eastern and plan on going to Blair, you may want to look into tutoring or other kind of supplemental help. It is not at all uncommon for Eastern kids to take Magnet Geometry in their freshman year instead of Magnet Precalculus because their algebra skills are just not good enough, even after acing Honors Geometry at Eastern. Magnet Geometry is certainly not a bad thing (I loved it!), as it really is quite separate from the MCPS Geometry curriculum, but it may frustrate some. Takoma humanities seem average. Just average.

Eastern kids rarely make Functions. Eastern "math geniuses" (the kids who got straight As, mid-high 90s on every test) can end up in Geometry. I would stress it's not a reflection on the kid (who, given time with the really excellent math teachers at Blair, typically makes up much of that lost time pretty quickly) but a reflection on the state of Eastern mathematics. More and more EMS kids are getting admitted into the Magnet, and more and more of them are going straight to MagGeo.

I was a little bit put off by some of the Eastern kids. They are entirely different from any magnet or non-magnet student I encountered at Takoma.

I just kept hearing about all this drama going on at Eastern, and I am not a fan.

I felt like this about Takoma kids, but as I came to Blair Magnet I learned to like them Eastern and Takoma kids actually get along exceedingly well, due to many cross-school friendships and just cause it's the two downcounty selective magnets and we like to stick together. I know kids like AJ, who go from Takoma to Magnet and kids who go from Eastern to CAP probably have different opinions, but having seen both sides of it, I think we're generally the same. There are just as many "drama"-y kids at Takoma as there are at Eastern, imo. I'm sure you hear this kind of commentary from kids who go to any two schools that are closely aligned.

Magnets and Cappies are insular from the rest of the school to different degrees. Cappies seem to interact more with nonmagnets because they do more activities that are not "Magnet/CAP" activities, such as drama and BNC, whereas Magnets typically flock to different types of activities that have somehow become "Magnet" clubs, such as volleyball and debate. (Cappies also seem to have a lower retention rate in actually keeping their students in the program until graduation...) Magnets and Cappies do interact quite a bit in a few activities, such as National Honor Society and Silver Chips (newspaper).

I don't want to hop all over CAP here, but I do think if your child is interested in the more academic humanities (research, politics, etc.), they would be better served at RM IB than in CAP. Eastern does a great job of balancing "artsy" humanities with "academic" humanities, but CAP leans heavy towards "artsy". It's one of the reasons I chose not to go. Blair Magnet is actually a decent place for "academic" humanities as well... if you're already a strong writer. I'm an econ/polisci person myself, and there are plenty like me in the Magnet.

may I suggest Eastern Magnet followed by Blair Magnet?

Do it. I think you really do get the best of both worlds.

tl;dr. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask me. Keeping with the trend, I'll go by SS.

[Anonymous]

I have a CAP girl, and I just want to offer a second opinion about the strongly worded post saying CAP girls are terribly cliquey and don't talk to non-CAP kids. This hasn't been my CAP kid's experience at all. There are a few clicquey girls, but I don't think that's unusual for high school. DD hates cliques, and has found a bunch of friends from various different groups. DD also has several friends from outside CAP.

These social things may vary from year to year. But the "clicque-ridden" experience hasn't been DD's experience at all.

[Anonymous]

Im a fresman in the blair magnet and i came from parkland magnet. i wasnt able to get into tpms so i went to parkland which was a great experiecne. Parkland is a magnet for aerospace tech and its a whole school magnet. It is the only school that offers honors physics in middle school (it really helps for magnet phyics) for the smarter half of kids and honors ess for the lower level kids that are not in geo by 8th grade along with a course called intro to engineering design which is a class you should work hard to get at least a B and get college credit. If your kid isn't ready for tmps i would highly rcommend pmms because of all the great thngs that school has to offer. Moving onto the Blair magnet, its only been about a month since school started and its been great! The only drawback is that there is about 3-4 hrs of hw for me cause of the precalc teacher (walstein) but its been really fun. For those of you with kids that came from a regular ms like me it might be hard adjusting at first but all of the teachers are extreamly helpful and will help you ease in to the magnet. Im not saying that it is easy as it does involve a lot of work but you get used to it. Refer to me as SC