MS Magnet letters are starting to arrive

[Anonymous]

NP here. I have a year or so before we apply. How hard is it to get into a magnet? Does anyone have the acceptance rates for the programs? Interested in Eastern and Takoma.

[Anonymous]

There were 850 apps for TPMS this year. Don't know for Eastern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have actually heard that the home middle schools that are struggling are the ones who are fighting to retain the magnet qualified students. I went to a meeting for 5th grade parents and the school blamed the magnets for taking the smartest kids.

+1

Unacceptable. If the home school can ramp up teaching for talented students they shouldn't get upset when they leave. School just wants better tests scores by keeping your kid there, rather by supporting your kid reaching his potential via magnets.

[Anonymous]

Can't ramp up

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There were 850 apps for TPMS this year. Don't know for Eastern.

Eastern letter said 540.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this is the case, explain why on application there is Home High School, and gender.
They definitely use both. Otherwise most kids will be only from W cluster, or only from HGCs. That is not the case.

Can you explain this assumption of yours, please?

I am not PP, if you're talking about this assumption as "otherwise most kids will be only from W cluster or only from HGCs," I think the assumption rests on three things.

First, that admission depends almost entirely on test results. I'm not sure that's true given what I've seen over the years about the tests scores and various decisions to admit or deny students.

Second, is that in these types of standardized group-administered ability tests, the same kind of income/performance level correlations are at work that we see, for example, in the SAT. It doesn't mean that wealthy kids are smarter than poor kids, but that there is some kind of advantage they enjoy in the process that helps them score higher on average as a group -- home tutoring, test prep, exposure to enriching activities, more exposure to books, confidence, less stress and anxiety in life, etc. There are a zillion possibilities.

Third, I also think it's clear that those kids who have enjoyed advanced instruction -- in the HGC, for example -- are likely to score better. My DD, who was in the HGC and a MS magnet, mentioned that at some point (I forget whether she said HGC or MS) they actually received explicit instruction and practice in how to solve Raven-type puzzles. I know her math instruction was more advanced, and so she would likely score better on the math portion of the MS exam, which definitely requires math skills/knowledge that can be taught. I have no idea why the school or teachers teach Ravens, as it's not part of curriculum, but I believe her. I've also watched my son's MAP-M percentiles plummet since he's been taken off the accelerated curriculum track after the introduction of C2.0 -- the lack of accelerated instruction is clearly the cause. It would have the same effect on MS SCAT scores. There's no way he could get the questions that depend on understanding averages if he wasn't exposed to them, but another kid was taking compacted 4/5/6 was or getting the instruction at home

+1 You nailed it!

You and Pp are conflating the W clusters and affluence/education/privilege.

[Anonymous]

How many people applied to RCMS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many people applied to RCMS?

About 24,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many people applied to RCMS?

About 24,000

Idiot!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were 850 apps for TPMS this year. Don't know for Eastern.

Eastern letter said 540.

Wow. That seems quite low. Have applications gone down over the years? That is not what I remember when my child applied. The odds at Eastern are substantially better than at Takoma.

[Anonymous]

Child accepted at both Takoma and Eastern. Will see which she decides... debating between the two. North Bethesda Middle School is home school. I am fine with any of the three for various reasons - academics, extra curricular, social, length of bus ride.
Any advice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Child accepted at both Takoma and Eastern. Will see which she decides... debating between the two. North Bethesda Middle School is home school. I am fine with any of the three for various reasons - academics, extra curricular, social, length of bus ride.
Any advice?

The pros and cons of either magnet or home school have all been stated in this and other similar threads. in the end you and your daughter have to decide what works best for your family situation, her interests and your end goals. I have 2 kids who went through this process and decided on different schools for different reasons. There is no perfect solution.

[Anonymous]

What your child wants?
We are from Robert Frost cluster. My older child reported that some kids from our area (Potomac, Rockville) were burned in commute after several months or after first year. (We know at least 4 who quit. We do not know all kids in magnet, since they all have different schedule.) Even some children after HGC in Cold Spring quit. My child is fine and second will go next year.
Is your child socially awkward?If yes, go for Magnet.
Will regular school challenge your child? (my second child would be doing nothing in regular school since he is technically oriented and hates humanities...)
I was over the fence with the first one who was very advance reader and came from HGC. I know we made correct decision.
Can't tell much about Eastern, but heard that a lot of kids who were not truly dedicated to it, have left from program without finishing it.
Many kids did not like environment there... However, some kids really enjoy it there.

If I were you: I would do the following:
1. If child is technical and you see him/her going to engineering, science - go for Takoma. But be advised commute is brutal.
I would strongly encourage carpool for the first year.
2. If child is heavy on humanities, loves big writing projects (not just creative writing) and you see him/her go in that area in college.Go for Eastern.
3. If you are not sure about your kids interests yet, and your child happy in local school, has many friends, not ready for too much challenges and not socially awkward, stay in your local school and enroll your child in as many after school activities (in school and outside of school)
that enriches your child's knowledge and interests.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I was not clear that first child went to Takoma.

[Anonymous]

My child is interested in science, but only got accepted in Eastern because his reading is stronger. We are struggling if Eastern is a good choice. Any advices are appreciated.