Middle school magnet testing for Takoma/ Eastern: have you received 'invite'?

[Anonymous]

There are some serious trolls on this thread, trying to unnerve and put people off. Saying its a 3.5 hour test, that kids are "cramming" and so on. Utter nonsense.

Just let your kids do it and get past it without neurotic parents.

[Anonymous]

Kids were in the testing for 3 to 3.5 hours for the Takoma Park/Eastern test. It was on the computer. Had lots of short sections (10 minutes) and time spent on directions and samples. Pretty sure there were more than 6 sections, so more than 60 minutes of testing.

Stop having your kids cram, even kids who score a perfect score are not guaranteed a spot! It's not the top 100 scores get in, they look at other things too. Including how many other high scores from your assigned middle school.

There are VERY limited spaces available compared to the number of kids who are testing and a lot of variables that go into who gets into the programs. Please stop stressing your kids out about this.

[Anonymous]

This is nice to read, but DD was up all night Friday worrying because some of her friends were talking nonstop about the test and how not passing it will be the end of the world. We live in a W cluster, so perhaps it's worse. She didn't study but I know a few parents that had their children in intensive, 6 dat a week tutoring for months.

[Anonymous]

I did hear girls talking about this test at a recent sleepover. Not sure about trolls on this thread, but I did my research, had my daughter try out SCAT test format to understand directions and save time on test day.

We all took PSAT and some form of SAT's and improved scores from one to other - because being familiar with test format is key to success in standardized school environment. So let the parents of genius kids yell and throw fits, we the educated parents will learn the system and guide our kids as we see fit. I usually get test prep books on Amazon - hey it's better than TV or video games anyways! Even if competition is fierce , our kids are only getting smarter.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know when the last students are taking the test this year? Mine just finished today after stopping short of completion yesterday for the early dismissal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did hear girls talking about this test at a recent sleepover. Not sure about trolls on this thread, but I did my research, had my daughter try out SCAT test format to understand directions and save time on test day.

We all took PSAT and some form of SAT's and improved scores from one to other - because being familiar with test format is key to success in standardized school environment. So let the parents of genius kids yell and throw fits, we the educated parents will learn the system and guide our kids as we see fit. I usually get test prep books on Amazon - hey it's better than TV or video games anyways! Even if competition is fierce , our kids are only getting smarter.

The winners aren't allowing sleepovers...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know when the last students are taking the test this year? Mine just finished today after stopping short of completion yesterday for the early dismissal.

seems the latest date posted was the 20th?

[Anonymous]

We were scheduled for the 9th but the test was postponed to the 16th due to the late start that day.

[Anonymous]

When you speak with the parents of the kids in TPMS and Eastern programs they say that
when the kids look back at the tests, they look like walk in the park comparing how
difficult is every single day at the magnet. They have to think on their feet all the time
and it is high demanding fast paced program so the test seem like a good way
to show the kids what is the magnet about and how well they can handle the
stress, the competition and the emotional and mental demands of performing
on the top level in such conditions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did hear girls talking about this test at a recent sleepover. Not sure about trolls on this thread, but I did my research, had my daughter try out SCAT test format to understand directions and save time on test day.

We all took PSAT and some form of SAT's and improved scores from one to other - because being familiar with test format is key to success in standardized school environment. So let the parents of genius kids yell and throw fits, we the educated parents will learn the system and guide our kids as we see fit. I usually get test prep books on Amazon - hey it's better than TV or video games anyways! Even if competition is fierce , our kids are only getting smarter.

The winners aren't allowing sleepovers...[/quote]

What does it even mean?

[Anonymous]

Are you finding that many of the kids in your school are talking about the test all the time? DS says people are obsessing about it over lunch and comparing notes. We are in a Wootton cluster ES, if that matters. Terribly concerning. Is what MS will be like??

[Anonymous]

Anyone able to explain why kids in the same class would take the test in different locations and on different dates from eachother?

[Anonymous]

I'm also when we'll hear. I think they said they'd be mailing re: status around Feb 9? No way if some are testing as late as the 20th. Think it'll be late Feb?

[Anonymous]

We're at Rock Creek Forest and all the kids seem to be obsessing about the test. Is this different from previous years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're at Rock Creek Forest and all the kids seem to be obsessing about the test. Is this different from previous years?

Maybe one difference is that people don't know what's on it?