Need help in deciding Watakins Mill IB vs Poolsville Humanities

[teluguru]

Created new post for more visibility I need help in deciding IB at Watkins vs Poolsville Humanities. I saw everyone appreciating RM IB program but see very less about watkins mill IB as almost like non-existent. My kid more interested towards medicine so computer science or tech courses is not that priority

Update : we live in clarksburg damascus is home scool got clarksburg ( cosa ) also but they are not offering any advance courses in clarksburg

[Anonymous]

teluguru wrote:Created new post for more visibility I need help in deciding IB at Watkins vs Poolsville Humanities. I saw everyone appreciating RM IB program but see very less about watkins mill IB as almost like non-existent. My kid more interested towards medicine so computer science or tech courses is not that priority

I say neither. Your kid should apply to the Seneca Valley medical program.

[Anonymous]

You'll need to tell us more about your kid to give you good advice.

I will say right off the bat: Where does your kid live? Based on the fact that you're citing Watkins Mill IB, I imagine you're in the Gaithersburg/Germantown area.

Do you or your kid have the stomach for that commute to Poolesville? That can get old real fast. Especially if your kid gets involved in clubs or sports where they need to stay after school.

[teluguru]

Seneca Valley medical program in waitlist

[Anonymous]

Poolesville no question. It's a great cohort.

[Anonymous]

If you are zoned to Damascus, then pick Watkins Mill IB. I live in East Montgomery Village and the commute out to Poolesville was a real disadvantage- 45 minutes on the bus each was is a lot of wasted time. Plus it makes it hard to participate in sports or other activities.

Watkins Mill IB was already a tight knit cohort of the advanced academic neighborhood kids. The regional IB allowed the cohort to grow in size and begin in 9th. I think this is the first graduating class after the switch to regional program. There are a lot of clubs and sports at Watkins mill, but there’s plenty of opportunity for people new to the activity to join. Opportunities to start new activities. I think kids can more easily be a big fish in a small pond at WMHS.

[Anonymous]

I think the point about being a big fish is an important one and the commute issue.
Poolesville is a better, safer and nicer school overall but it's easier to stand out at Watkins Mill and given the long commute seems like Watkins Mill might have the advantage.

[Anonymous]

teluguru wrote:Created new post for more visibility I need help in deciding IB at Watkins vs Poolsville Humanities. I saw everyone appreciating RM IB program but see very less about watkins mill IB as almost like non-existent. My kid more interested towards medicine so computer science or tech courses is not that priority

Update : we live in clarksburg damascus is home scool got clarksburg ( cosa ) also but they are not offering any advance courses in clarksburg

If I were you I would do the medical program at SVHS and do the IB program there simultaneously. Either the IBCP or IBDP. I know kids doing this there. Great program especially for college applications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the point about being a big fish is an important one and the commute issue.
Poolesville is a better, safer and nicer school overall but it's easier to stand out at Watkins Mill and given the long commute seems like Watkins Mill might have the advantage.

+100%. Much easier to get into. A top college from Watkins mill ib program. Beside poolesville humanities is pretty basic and the worst magnet program at poolesville.

[Anonymous]

teluguru wrote:Created new post for more visibility I need help in deciding IB at Watkins vs Poolsville Humanities. I saw everyone appreciating RM IB program but see very less about watkins mill IB as almost like non-existent. My kid more interested towards medicine so computer science or tech courses is not that priority

Update : we live in clarksburg damascus is home scool got clarksburg ( cosa ) also but they are not offering any advance courses in clarksburg

They do offer advanced courses at Clarksburg.

[Anonymous]

Poolesville is nice and small which helps a lot with administration. Their scores are better too overall: https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/Graphs/#/AtaGlance/Index/3/17/6/15/0152/2023

Does Watkins Mills IB start in ninth grade like RMIB or eleventh grade like most IB programs?

[Anonymous]

DP.

Poolesville is #1 in MCPS and Maryland and #140 in the Nation.

Yes, it's a long drive, so either stay at Clarksburg or buckle down. That's a personal decision for your kid.

Whomever says Watkins Mill or Seneca Valley is a good idea is shilling you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DP.

Poolesville is #1 in MCPS and Maryland and #140 in the Nation.

Yes, it's a long drive, so either stay at Clarksburg or buckle down. That's a personal decision for your kid.

Whomever says Watkins Mill or Seneca Valley is a good idea is shilling you.

What does being #1 on paper have to do with anything?

[teluguru]

Anonymous wrote:DP.

Poolesville is #1 in MCPS and Maryland and #140 in the Nation.

Yes, it's a long drive, so either stay at Clarksburg or buckle down. That's a personal decision for your kid.

Whomever says Watkins Mill or Seneca Valley is a good idea is shilling you.

This is one of the criteria for me leaning towards Poolsville. Does studying in high ranking HS benefit during college admissions ?

[Anonymous]

teluguru wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP.

Poolesville is #1 in MCPS and Maryland and #140 in the Nation.

Yes, it's a long drive, so either stay at Clarksburg or buckle down. That's a personal decision for your kid.

Whomever says Watkins Mill or Seneca Valley is a good idea is shilling you.

This is one of the criteria for me leaning towards Poolsville. Does studying in high ranking HS benefit during college admissions ?

No. And it can be harder to get into very selective schools because your are competing directly with other talented kids in the school.

Poolesville is only high ranking because half the school is magnet kids. When you skim the top talent from other schools and then base ranking on number of AP courses, of course the school looks good on paper. I had a kid in Global and a kid in SMCS. The teachers were just as average as teachers elsewhere in MCPS (one or two were great, most good, are pretty bad).