Advice on Choosing Between Blair (General Admission) and Wheaton PLTW Biomed

[Anonymous]

We're having a tough time choosing between standard enrollment at Blair and the Wheaton Biomed magnet. Blair is much closer to our house, but our DC is really set on becoming a doctor (for now at least). Blair offers an amazing selection of science classes and it seems we could independently cobble together a curriculum somewhat equivalent (and, in some ways, superior) to Wheaton. But we hear that, beyond classwork, PLTW Biomed offers significant advantages on internships and other outside-the-classroom opportunities. It's a coin flip for us right now, so any advice would be very helpful.

[Anonymous]

My gut feel is that I would go with Blair. Blair has a large selection of AP STEM classes and lots of clubs and it is closer to your house.

[Anonymous]

And to add to my last comment - biomedical sequence is not necessary for premed in college.

[Anonymous]

PLTW Biomed offers significant advantages on internships and other outside-the-classroom opportunities.

Who told you that?

[Anonymous]

My kid went to the engineering academy at Wheaton (waitlisted for magnet) - not bio. We really liked his STEM teachers. One had graduated from MIT (Mr Bates - look up whether he is still there - he was great), another from Naval Academy, both had been practicing engineers, etc. Good math teachers, etc.

We also loved Wheaton's building. It's fairly new - maybe a decade old? And really quite nice.

The humanities curriculum was pretty poor. Very little writing instruction/feedback. It's probably worse now that Honors for All is in effect in ninth and tenth grade. Meaning everyone is in the same honors English classes in ninth and tenth grade - there's no grade level below Honors.

Also, it's nice to go in bounds so I would factor in commute. I don't know enough about Blair to know how good the non-Magnet science offerings are. Try to talk to Blair parents/kids and ask about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid went to the engineering academy at Wheaton (waitlisted for magnet) - not bio. We really liked his STEM teachers. One had graduated from MIT (Mr Bates - look up whether he is still there - he was great), another from Naval Academy, both had been practicing engineers, etc. Good math teachers, etc.

We also loved Wheaton's building. It's fairly new - maybe a decade old? And really quite nice.

The humanities curriculum was pretty poor. Very little writing instruction/feedback. It's probably worse now that Honors for All is in effect in ninth and tenth grade. Meaning everyone is in the same honors English classes in ninth and tenth grade - there's no grade level below Honors.

Also, it's nice to go in bounds so I would factor in commute. I don't know enough about Blair to know how good the non-Magnet science offerings are. Try to talk to Blair parents/kids and ask about that.

Oh also - he didn't get any special internships. I didn't hear anything about that. Maybe the magnet is different.

[Anonymous]

I believe Wheaton's biomed program is CTE oriented? If that's indeed the case, I'd think choosing Blair would make more sense. Your kid can take many magnet electives along the biology and chemistry directions as long as they satisfy the pre-requisite (mostly just completed AP bio/AP chem with counselor approval).

With the regional model launching, Blair SMCS is anticipated to provide less electives, but where Wheaton biomed program is heading is harder to predict.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're having a tough time choosing between standard enrollment at Blair and the Wheaton Biomed magnet. Blair is much closer to our house, but our DC is really set on becoming a doctor (for now at least). Blair offers an amazing selection of science classes and it seems we could independently cobble together a curriculum somewhat equivalent (and, in some ways, superior) to Wheaton. But we hear that, beyond classwork, PLTW Biomed offers significant advantages on internships and other outside-the-classroom opportunities. It's a coin flip for us right now, so any advice would be very helpful.

Biomed. Many students have done that because they were on a pre med track. If interest is other sciences, then maybe the other program.

[Anonymous]

My student attended Wheaton for Biomed and is now a junior at UMd. It’s a good program and my student enjoyed it. I don’t recall internships but they attended right after covid. There were interesting seminars and professional visitors and good staff. Hopefully that helps.

[Anonymous]

Your kid will get a cohort at Wheaton, and that matters. I would definitely choose Wheaton over regular Blair! If your kid isn’t in the magnet their 9th and 10th grade science classes will be Ho hum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe Wheaton's biomed program is CTE oriented? If that's indeed the case, I'd think choosing Blair would make more sense. Your kid can take many magnet electives along the biology and chemistry directions as long as they satisfy the pre-requisite (mostly just completed AP bio/AP chem with counselor approval).

With the regional model launching, Blair SMCS is anticipated to provide less electives, but where Wheaton biomed program is heading is harder to predict.

It is not CTE. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/wheatonhs/academies/Applicationprograms/#Biomedicalapp

[Anonymous]

We’re making the same choice and my kid is strongly leaning toward Wheaton. As a parent I find the opportunity to be part of a strong cohort rather than one of 1,000 freshmen at Blair persuasive, but also waver because of the great electives available at Blair that are not an option at Wheaton.

[Anonymous]

Also, you can always change your mind and go to Blair but you can’t make the opposite choice

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any advice for making the same choice but between Blair and the engineering application program at Wheaton?

[Anonymous]

The engineering program at Wheaton is very strong and well established . It has been a pathway to UMd’s Clark School of Engineering. Students will have a cohort and the robotics program is strong. My student was able to take Multi variable calculus along with other strong academic classes.