Blair CAP vs. Whitman

[Anonymous]

^^ Bump

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I've been a Blair mom (CAP and SMAC magnet) and a Whitman mom, sometimes at the same time, and Blair CAP and SMAC magnets are both better choices than Whitman, by a long shot.

If I'd known how much kids' school choices would have gone, we'd have moved to Silver Spring years ago.

Since this was the original topic of the thread -- could you share more about the Blair CAP vs. Whitman comparison and why CAP was better by a long shot? I'm not the OP but this would be really helpful info for us as we don't have the same basis for comparison and have to make the decision in a wekk.

Can't comment about CAP but Blair SMAC student cohort is excellent and the teachers have high expectations.

[Anonymous]

Bump for any final words about CAP as the decision has to be made by Friday!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bump for any final words about CAP as the decision has to be made by Friday!

Our reminder email said by 8:00am Friday!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bump for any final words about CAP as the decision has to be made by Friday!

Our reminder email said by 8:00am Friday!

Not much time to decide since the CAP info session is Thursday night!

[Anonymous]

Still deciding over here! My kid decided today to act as if they are going to attend their home school, but will still listen to the presentation tomorrow night and see how they feel about that decision. It's been really tough to decide. We made a pros and cons list, and there weren't any real cons to the home school other than it not being a special cohesive program/curriculum like CAP. Parts of the CAP curriculum are appealing, and some are less appealing to my kid. The cohort is a plus, but the commute is a minus. Kid says it's hard to say no to something they were selected for, especially since they know the CES and middle school magnet programs were good for them. I will be glad when this is all finalized.

[Anonymous]

We are not choosing RMIB for the same commute/community aspects you point out about CAP, OP. We live close to Blair, and our Eastern 8th grader has decided he wants to continue with his friends/program at CAP.

As for the science - they are putting kids into AP Physics at Blair as freshmen, which I think seems crazy. But I guess they'll have a cohort? They can't possibly be ready for that as 14/15 year olds, right?!?! Is that happening at other schools? Why the rush? The Bio-Chem-Physics pathway just seems more sensible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are not choosing RMIB for the same commute/community aspects you point out about CAP, OP. We live close to Blair, and our Eastern 8th grader has decided he wants to continue with his friends/program at CAP.

As for the science - they are putting kids into AP Physics at Blair as freshmen, which I think seems crazy. But I guess they'll have a cohort? They can't possibly be ready for that as 14/15 year olds, right?!?! Is that happening at other schools? Why the rush? The Bio-Chem-Physics pathway just seems more sensible.

I'm the PP whose kid is still considering CAP. I looked at the course registration options and saw that it says, "Students taking Algebra or Geometry in grade 9 should take Biology (on-level or Honors)
Students taking Algebra II or higher should take either Honors Biology, Honors Physics or AP Physics 1 (math intensive)". Honors biology just seems to make so much more sense than AP physics, especially given that this class of kids had a less-than-optimal virtual Algebra I experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are not choosing RMIB for the same commute/community aspects you point out about CAP, OP. We live close to Blair, and our Eastern 8th grader has decided he wants to continue with his friends/program at CAP.

As for the science - they are putting kids into AP Physics at Blair as freshmen, which I think seems crazy. But I guess they'll have a cohort? They can't possibly be ready for that as 14/15 year olds, right?!?! Is that happening at other schools? Why the rush? The Bio-Chem-Physics pathway just seems more sensible.

I'm the PP whose kid is still considering CAP. I looked at the course registration options and saw that it says, "Students taking Algebra or Geometry in grade 9 should take Biology (on-level or Honors)
Students taking Algebra II or higher should take either Honors Biology, Honors Physics or AP Physics 1 (math intensive)". Honors biology just seems to make so much more sense than AP physics, especially given that this class of kids had a less-than-optimal virtual Algebra I experience.

Exactly! How strong can his Algebra be when he learned it online, while sleeping! haha

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are not choosing RMIB for the same commute/community aspects you point out about CAP, OP. We live close to Blair, and our Eastern 8th grader has decided he wants to continue with his friends/program at CAP.

As for the science - they are putting kids into AP Physics at Blair as freshmen, which I think seems crazy. But I guess they'll have a cohort? They can't possibly be ready for that as 14/15 year olds, right?!?! Is that happening at other schools? Why the rush? The Bio-Chem-Physics pathway just seems more sensible.

I don't understand why Blair puts them in AP Physics but not AP Government NSL (which as a magnet course could be taught both to magnet standards and to the AP Government NSL test, which is not that hard). It doesn't look like Blair even offers AP Government NSL to anyone. I wish the Blair website were better -- I can't find a course bulletin so got this info off the general MCPS page for Blair classes:

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/SchoolCourseCatalogs/School/04757/top

I also don't understand the AP Physics for 9th graders. There's plenty of time to get to AP Physics. My RMIB kid and my W school kid both took AP Physics I as sophomores after taking honors chem and honors bio as freshmen while taking algebra 2 -- I don't see a need to rush it before that. Strange.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are not choosing RMIB for the same commute/community aspects you point out about CAP, OP. We live close to Blair, and our Eastern 8th grader has decided he wants to continue with his friends/program at CAP.

As for the science - they are putting kids into AP Physics at Blair as freshmen, which I think seems crazy. But I guess they'll have a cohort? They can't possibly be ready for that as 14/15 year olds, right?!?! Is that happening at other schools? Why the rush? The Bio-Chem-Physics pathway just seems more sensible.

I don't understand why Blair puts them in AP Physics but not AP Government NSL (which as a magnet course could be taught both to magnet standards and to the AP Government NSL test, which is not that hard). It doesn't look like Blair even offers AP Government NSL to anyone. I wish the Blair website were better -- I can't find a course bulletin so got this info off the general MCPS page for Blair classes:

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/SchoolCourseCatalogs/School/04757/top

I also don't understand the AP Physics for 9th graders. There's plenty of time to get to AP Physics. My RMIB kid and my W school kid both took AP Physics I as sophomores after taking honors chem and honors bio as freshmen while taking algebra 2 -- I don't see a need to rush it before that. Strange.

Yes, they offer AP NSL to 9th grade and both CAP and STEM kids have the option of signing up. Mine took it last year.

[Anonymous]

Still deciding here as well. But decided to do Bio instead of the AP Physics. Even with a cohort it seems overly intense as a freshman.

[Anonymous]

10th grade CAP kids take AP NSL as a CAP-required class. 9th grade is honors US History.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:10th grade CAP kids take AP NSL as a CAP-required class. 9th grade is honors US History.

Oh, I guess I got it wrong -- my question is why don't they do AP NSL in 9th and then APUSH in 10th? Seems like a waste of an opportunity to do an AP -- unless the kids take the test anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are not choosing RMIB for the same commute/community aspects you point out about CAP, OP. We live close to Blair, and our Eastern 8th grader has decided he wants to continue with his friends/program at CAP.

As for the science - they are putting kids into AP Physics at Blair as freshmen, which I think seems crazy. But I guess they'll have a cohort? They can't possibly be ready for that as 14/15 year olds, right?!?! Is that happening at other schools? Why the rush? The Bio-Chem-Physics pathway just seems more sensible.

I don't understand why Blair puts them in AP Physics but not AP Government NSL (which as a magnet course could be taught both to magnet standards and to the AP Government NSL test, which is not that hard). It doesn't look like Blair even offers AP Government NSL to anyone. I wish the Blair website were better -- I can't find a course bulletin so got this info off the general MCPS page for Blair classes:

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/SchoolCourseCatalogs/School/04757/top

I also don't understand the AP Physics for 9th graders. There's plenty of time to get to AP Physics. My RMIB kid and my W school kid both took AP Physics I as sophomores after taking honors chem and honors bio as freshmen while taking algebra 2 -- I don't see a need to rush it before that. Strange.

There is course and program information under Counseling. (www.mbhs.edu -> Counseling -> Course Registration 2022-2023)