New to MCPS for 10th grade

[Anonymous]

We are moving to MD this summer from Pennsylvania and are incredibly flexible about where exactly we settle in Montgomery County. We want to be in the southern part of the county but beyond that we’re open. We have a middle schooler and a child who will be a rising 10th grader. The 10th grader is academically advanced and has been in g&t and magnet programs ever since elementary school. It’s my understanding that it’s not possible at this point to get him into a high school magnet program in MD.

What are some of the best school options where he could get a rigorous STEM experience, with peers who are into academics? What are some of the best options for a boy who is kind of a semi-nerd and on the shyer side?

[Anonymous]

Blair, Poolesville or RM, none of which are in the southern part of the county. All of which have magnet/IB programs

[Anonymous]

Consider BCC which has a non competitive IB program or RM (if location is okfor you...still near metro). It has a competitive magnet but it is open to all RM local students in 11th grade. Wootton has a strong stem reputation..not exactly sure why but it does. Good luck! Your student will have the opportunity to take many APs at any high school as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blair, Poolesville or RM, none of which are in the southern part of the county. All of which have magnet/IB programs

Blair and Poolesville magnets are not options for a 10th grader. Blair is however in the southern part of the county and magnet classes are open to any student when there is space so that is a possibility too..

[Anonymous]

RM. Full selection of AP classes, plus option to join diploma programme in 11th grade. Large amount of clubs and activities. Good access to metro & 270.

[Anonymous]

WJ is a really great school. It is big but there are so many clubs and electives you can find your people. Active science Olympiad and all the AP science classes plus some advanced electives.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair, Poolesville or RM, none of which are in the southern part of the county. All of which have magnet/IB programs

Blair and Poolesville magnets are not options for a 10th grader. Blair is however in the southern part of the county and magnet classes are open to any student when there is space so that is a possibility too..

Definitely Blair. I would try to live in bounds for Blair and Takoma Park MS.

[Anonymous]

With a few exceptions, I think most schools would offer your child what he/she needs. Both of mine recently graduated from HS and were in test-in magnets (only available for in-coming 9th graders) and both attended UMD. They were both in Honors at UMD (so yes it’s a strong peer group), but many went to schools that people would frown on here and mine were neither stronger or weaker than the ones from “regular” schools.

[Anonymous]

PP again most MCPS HS offer MV, Linear Algebra, AP Bio AP Physics C , AP Chem etc. As long as the school is relatively safe and there is a strong cohort it should be okay most anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Given the state of MCPS these days you’d be better off looking at private schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:RM. Full selection of AP classes, plus option to join diploma programme in 11th grade. Large amount of clubs and activities. Good access to metro & 270.

+1 My sophomore, non IB magnet student, is currently taking IB AAF math, not to mention the AP classes they are taking . So, they can even start taking IB classes as early as sophomore year.

They can join the IB diploma program along with the magnet IB cohort starting in 11th grade. The peer group is super high achieving, g&t level. I have an older DC who was part of the RMIBDP program starting in 9th grade. Amazing high achieving peer group. They also take AP classes in addition to IB classes, and many self study for AP exams that they did not take the class for. A lot of them get 5s on these self study exams.

MCPS puts out a list of all HS, and how many IB/AP exams were taken at each school, and the scores of each group. RM usually has a ton of different IB/AP exams taken.

Not all HS in MCPS that have IB have the same course selections. There was a whole thread about it, and how it is not equitable that not all schools have the various courses. However you look at it, the reason why that is is due to demand. RM has a huge demand for various IB classes.

It is a huge school, though, and over crowded, if that matters. They have open lunch, and many kids go to Rockville Town Center or the surrounding strip malls for lunch.

You should visit each school you are interested in. The interior of the school grounds and size may also make a difference in your selection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given the state of MCPS these days you’d be better off looking at private schools

Certainly MCPS has its issues (what public schools don't). Still, even some private school students will switch to MCPS public magnet if they get in.

I have my share of criticism of MCPS, but the one thing that I like about MCPS is the number of different magnet offerings. There are very few public school districts that have as many special programs like these magnets that MCPS has. It's one of the reasons we moved into this school district; we were looking for different types of gifted/magnet programs for DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WJ is a really great school. It is big but there are so many clubs and electives you can find your people. Active science Olympiad and all the AP science classes plus some advanced electives.

Good luck!

WJ is a great school, but OP is looking for magnet level type programs for sophomores. They can get that at RM, which is right next to WJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With a few exceptions, I think most schools would offer your child what he/she needs. Both of mine recently graduated from HS and were in test-in magnets (only available for in-coming 9th graders) and both attended UMD. They were both in Honors at UMD (so yes it’s a strong peer group), but many went to schools that people would frown on here and mine were neither stronger or weaker than the ones from “regular” schools.

This. Thank you. I went to magnet/UMD Honors too and I saw plenty of non-magnet kids from "bad" public schools along with selective private school kids and we were all honestly about the same. People get too worked about this stuff here - good students will do well anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With a few exceptions, I think most schools would offer your child what he/she needs. Both of mine recently graduated from HS and were in test-in magnets (only available for in-coming 9th graders) and both attended UMD. They were both in Honors at UMD (so yes it’s a strong peer group), but many went to schools that people would frown on here and mine were neither stronger or weaker than the ones from “regular” schools.

This. Thank you. I went to magnet/UMD Honors too and I saw plenty of non-magnet kids from "bad" public schools along with selective private school kids and we were all honestly about the same. People get too worked about this stuff here - good students will do well anywhere.

Sure, but some students need more challenge than others. A truly G&T student needs to be sufficiently challenged, or they get super bored with school.