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Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)
Applying to HGCs
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Anonymous
| Anyone have any advice for filling out the application for 3rd graders? Tx. |
Anonymous
| Remember that the selection committee is looking for kids whose needs cannot be met at their home school. So if you have examples of why this would be so for your child, you should discuss them. |
Anonymous
Yes, the point of the Center is to provide a place for kids whose needs cannot be met at their home school. If you have data to support this (MCPS loves data), that will help your application. |
Anonymous
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Does anyone know if it helps gain entry if a child has a special skill, such as being an advanced musician?
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Anonymous
| There is space for that on the application...talents that may not be seen during the school day... I don't know how much of a factor that would be though. I am assuming like all things test scores rule! |
Anonymous
It might be of human interest on the application (it does ask what your child does outside of school/what other interests & activities they have), but at the end of the day, what counts are: *Test score *Grades *Teacher Comments/Reference *Demonstrated academic needs that cannot be met in the regular classroom One or more of these can sink an applicant, even if the other pieces are strong. |
Anonymous
| To the PP, for Teacher Comments/ Reference, where do these come from? Must the applicant seek out teacher refs or are the student's current and past teachers asked by default? |
Anonymous
| Just curious-- is it right that you fill it out in 3rd grade, to begin in 4th grade? Is admission only for 4th-5th grade, or does it continue on in some way in middle school (is it any different at CCES, where there is a 6th grade for now)? |
Anonymous
I think that as part of the application, teachers are asked - but you should check (my memory is fuzzy). You should give the teacher a heads-up that you are applying, IMO. That way you can discuss specifics with him/her and provide a point of view/context for why you are applying. |
Anonymous
Yes, you apply in third grade and the HGC program is for fourth and fifth grade. For middle school, many students apply to the magnets (e.g. Eastern MS and Takoma Park MS), or if they choose, go to their home schools. It's not different at CCES - the HGC student would simply return to CCES in sixth grade. |
Anonymous
It would make sense, if the second grade teachers were asked for refs. The children have only been with their third grade teachers for two months when the application process begins. Does anyone know the answer to that? TIA |
Anonymous
Third-grade teachers do the refs. I don't believe that second-grade teachers are even permitted to provide them (in the context of the standard application). |
Anonymous
Don't worry about the 3rd grade teacher writing the rec. Do give, as another PP suggested, the 3rd grade teacher a head's up that you are applying and why, with specific examples. Applications are due in early November, but the teacher doesn't have to turn it in until later than that, so they have a little more time to get to know your child. Honestly, other PPs on the list have it right about the HGC serving kids whose needs are not able to be met at the home school. This usually means that children are at least 2 grades or more ahead in reading and 1 grade or more in math (minimums). Your teacher knows this about each student within the first month of school if not the first couple of weeks. Reading and math assessments are usually done immediately at schools and kids are placed in classes or groups. For example, after assessments a reading teacher will easily know if he/she has a class with 15 on grade readers, 10 year above readers, 1 two years ahead and 1 four years ahead. It's the four years above grade reader who is a prime candidate in that class for the HGC. The 2 year above could be grouped with the stronger readers from the next level down or easily differentiated by the teacher w/i the classroom. The four year ahead reader is not going to get any meaningful service in the classroom unless the teacher lets him/her go sit in a corner and read alone. |
Anonymous
| bump |
Anonymous
Why the bump? Do you have additional questions? |